Our mouth has its unique ecosystem of microbes. Here every organism lodges in harmony, albeit a few that keep on competing. However, this competition is beneficial as it keeps microbe populations in check. Among these, a fungus resides known as Candida yeast, whose overgrowth leads to Oral Thrush. Consequently, let’s discuss what causes the overgrowth of Candida yeast, some symptoms of Oral Thrush, and what you can do about it.
Risk Factors:
Candida fungus is a part of your mouth’s microbiome. Nonetheless, a few bacteria and our immune system stop it from taking over the landscape. Hence, in the absence of these controls, Candida outgrows its place, resulting in an unsightly painful infection. Here are a few underlying causes of oral thrush:
Antibiotics: Using antibiotics or antibacterial mouthwash does harm bacteria in your mouth. Hence, at times the decrease in the bacterial population of your mouth prompts the growth of Oral Thrush.
A Weakened Immune System: A variety of factors can hinder your natural disease combating capabilities, such as age, medication, and ailments. Therefore, a lack of immune response means a green flag for Candida fungus.
Overall, you can commonly spot oral thrush in babies and elders. Moreover, those who have HIV are also susceptible to this infection. Oral thrush can also occur in cancer patients enduring chemotherapy or radiotherapy.
Poor Oral Hygiene: Poor hygiene, dry mouth, and cavities are all risk factors of oral thrush.
Symptoms Of Oral Thrush:
When oral thrush hits you, it is hard to ignore. This is because of the creamy white lesions that accompany the infection. These white lesions occur on your tongue, the insides of your cheek, and on the roof of your mouth. Moreover, the infection site will appear reddish and swollen, and you shall experience burning sensations.
At times, these burning experiences may exceed the pain threshold. Thus, interfering with your daily eating routine as many patients have trouble eating with oral thrush. Furthermore, to top that, many patients report a cottony taste in their mouth while some patients experience a loss in the sense of taste. In addition to all that, these lesions might bleed if scraped.
Treatment For Oral Thrush:
The treatment of oral thrush is straightforward in the form of antifungals. A dentist might recommend you an oral dose or an antifungal mouthwash. In some cases, your doctor might recommend an intravenous dose of medicine. However, the latter is the case for cancer patients undergoing cancer treatments.
While you treat your infection, you need to be particular about your oral hygiene. For example, brush regularly and use a soft-bristled toothbrush to avoid scraping lesions.
Conclusion:
It’s safe to say that you don’t need to be tense about oral thrush; it’s just an annoying infection treated easily with antifungals. However, we urge you to visit a dentist in case of oral thrush because that will help you identify the underlying cause. Therefore, you can visit Brenham Family Dental And Orthodontics for your infection complaints or call us at 979-421-9685.