Oral Thrush otherwise called Oral Candidiasis is caused by the accumulation of the fungus Candida Albicans in the lining of the mouth or throat. It is a normal organism in the mouth but it can overgrow and cause symptoms. In general it is referred to as fungal infection of throat.

Mostly Oral thrush otherwise known as Oropharyngeal Candidiasis affects infants and toddlers. It causes white or yellow bumps in the lining of the throat or mouth that usually goes away with proper treatment. It mostly affects people with less immunity, in which it widely spreads to other parts of the body causing serious illness.

Symptoms of Oral Thrush:

As the infection gets worse, the symptoms of oral candidiasis will be,

• The white and yellow bumps spread to inner cheeks, tongue, tonsils, lips, or gums
• This can eventually cause slight bleeding from scoured bumps
• The bumps also cause a burning sensation in the mouth or soreness
• Dry or cracked lips and infection in the corners of the mouth
• Swallowing will become irritable (Pharyngitis)
• Loss of taste or a bad taste in your mouth
• Redness, inflammation, and pain under dentures

Causes of Oral Thrush

Normally, the immune system works in our body to repel harmful invading organisms like viruses, bacteria, and fungi, while maintaining a balance between the good and bad organisms. In case of a weak immune system, the increasing number of Candida fungus allows an oral thrush infection to take hold.

Risk Factors

• Diabetes- If you have diabetes then a high sugar level in the saliva encourages the growth of Candida Albicans.
• Vaginal infections- Vaginal yeast infections and oral thrush are caused by the same fungus, which increases the risk of passing it to the baby.
• Medications-Certain drugs have the capability of increasing the growth of the infection causing fungus in the mouth by disrupting the balance in the microorganisms.
• Dentures- Wearing dentures causes dry mouth which eventually will increase the risk of oral thrush
• Under untreated conditions this might also cause oral cancer.

Prevention

• Rinsing your mouth regularly will definitely lower the risk of fungus growth in your mouth.
• If you are wearing a denture make sure it fits properly and doesn't rupture your gums. Make a regular visit to your dentist and make sure you remove and clean your denture before going to sleep.
• In case of diabetes make sure you take proper medications and keep the blood sugar level in control.
• Certain medications cause dry mouth, which eventually leads to fungus growth can be avoided by keeping yourself hydrated.

Diagnosis

Your doctor may examine and diagnose simply with the characteristic bumps that cause infection. In certain critical conditions, a biopsy is performed and tested for Candida Albicans. If the spread is limited to the mouth then normal medications will be provided but in case of serious conditions, the infection might have been spread to the esophagus. Under such conditions, a throat swab culture or endoscopy will be performed to confirm the diagnosis.

Treatment

The treatment of oral thrush includes the prescription of specific medications like fluconazole, clotrimazole, nystatin, itraconazole, etc., by doctors. In certain cases tonsillitis treatment for oral candidiasis is performed at ENT hospitals (Vikram ENT). The treatment actually will help remove the fungus within two to three weeks. But in the case of infants, it often reoccurs over a period of time.