Ever thought why there are some white-colored spots on our tongue? Now you must be wondering that you do proper brushing and clean your teeth, yet these spots appear on our tongue. Well, just with cleaning, Oral Thrush could not be removed easily.
But wait, before we move and know about symptoms and treatments for Oral Thrush, let us know about it.
What is Oral Thrush?
Oral Thrush may be defined as an infection that gets developed inside our mouth and is often known with multiple labels such as Oropharyngeal Candidiasis, Oral Candidiasis, or just Thrush.
“Usually, you could see the Thrush in toddlers and infants, but these days Oral Candidiasis could also be seen in adults and old aged people. The Thrush appears on the top of the tongue and sometimes next to the inner cheeks. In most cases, they are white in color, but could also be seen as yellowish spots.”
A lot of people get confused with Oral Thrush and the normal layer that gets formed when we eat something. So the question is, how to know whether or not we’ve Oral Thrush?
Let us know about the symptoms of Oral Thrush:
As we know that Oral Candidiasis (Thrush) is a common issue and rarely has some symptoms, but if there is something serious about the Thrush infection or if the Thrush has reached a worse level, there may be some symptoms.
- Low taste sensitivity or loss of a taste.
- White & yellow spots on the surface of the tongue.
- Burning sensation in the mouth.
- Difficulty while swallowing food or water.
- Cotton-like sensational feeling.
These are some common symptoms when the condition of the Oral Candidiasis gets worse. And also, when you try to scrape the white layer from your tongue, you may see slight bleeding, don’t worry, this could be easily treated. Just contact the best dentist near you.
But wait, what is Oral Candidiasis caused by?
- Candida’s fungus majorly causes oral thrush; these fungi are present at various parts of our body and are entirely harmless. But sometimes, when people who are suffering from any disease or who have a low digestive system are not very much ready to tolerate the large quantity of Candida fungus. Once they go beyond the normal condition, a low immune-based body can’t tolerate that, causing Oral Thrush.
- People who take some medications may also face Oral Thrush because, on medications, a lot of the body’s microorganisms (friendly) are reduced, which acts as antibiotics, so can not prevent Oral Thrush from happening.
- Also, if a person is suffering from immune diseases such as HIV or Leukemia, they are more like to be a part of the Oral Thrush problem, and this infection can spread easily from people who have HIV.
- Apart from this, diabetic patients can also become part of Oral Thrush, as on Diabetes, the blood sugar level goes up, which weakens the immune system hence causes Oral Thrush.
And since now you’re aware of what is Oral Thrush caused from, let us now know more..
How is Oral Thrush treated?
If you’ve Oral Thrush and are looking for the treatment, you need to understand that the treatment process may vary based on the type of infection and its condition. We know that Oral Thrush is majorly caused to people who have a low immune system. Let us now know what the main categories of those people are:
1: People who have a good immune system can do standard antifungal medication. Usually, these medications are in the form of liquids or tablets. The liquid looks like a mouthwash, which is asked to be swished so that it could be applied to the area, and then you should swallow it (but not the mouthwash).
2: Women who are pregnant and are nursing mothers, you need to understand that you can pass the infection to your child if you’re breastfeeding them. In this case, you need to ask your doctor for the antifungal cream for breast and mild-medications for you & the baby. You shouldn’t take hard medications for your child as it might affect them. You also need to know that you can also pass the infection during the child’s delivery, so always tell your doctor about this.
3: People with low immune systems are at higher risk of spreading the infection to other people who have weak immune systems. In this case, you should immediately consult your doctor so that antifungal medications could be given to you. Based on the condition, the medication level may increase, but you need to take proper care so that it doesn’t spread to other people.
| 💡A personal note: Do not use steroids if you’ve Oral Thrush as it might worsen the condition. |
We already know what Oral Thrush is caused by, let us also know the risk factors involved.
1: If you use excessive mouthwash, you will destroy the friendly bacteria; hence, Oral Thrush production increases.
2: Diabetic patients are more likely to be a part of Oral Candidiasis because they have a low immune system.
3: If you do not drink a normal amount of water, you will stop the generation of saliva, which will lead to Oral Thrush.
4: After the low immune system, chain smokers are at the highest risk of getting Oral Thrush.
5: If you have low diet plans, you may have Oral Thrush, so it is recommended that you should consume a good amount of Vitamin B12 & Folic Acid.
What should you do now?
Oropharyngeal Candidiasis is a common issue, usually goes by itself, and if it is not going and you’re losing your taste sensation, you should immediately consult your dentist. And if by any case, you’re not sure where to go, then you can fix your appointment at West Keller Dental that deals with all types of dental issues.