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Don’t panic With An Oral Thrush Outbreak – Learn To Deal With It!
The first step in oral thrush treatment is simply to understand what
is going on and to learn to recognize the symptoms of oral thrush.
When the mucous membranes of the mouth become infected with an overgrowth
of the yeast Candida albicans the resulting infection is called thrush.
(This is the same naturally occurring fungus that causes vaginal yeast
infections and diaper rash.) Although technically a condition in infants,
the term “thrush” has come to be a catch-all for adult
yeast infections of the mouth and throat.
The First Signs Are Visual
Oral thrush symptoms include white or yellow spots on the tongue and
the lining of the cheeks that have a slight raised surface. The outbreak
can spread to the roof of the mouth, the gums, tonsils, and the back
of the throat. Normally there is only mild pain although the spots
will bleed when they are scratched away. Adults may experience burning
in the mouth and throat.
When thrush spreads to the throat (Candida esophagitis), you will
have difficulty swallowing and experience the sensation of food
sticking in your throat or chest. Fever is also likely.
Babies can develop thrush in the first few weeks of life. The mouth
lesions will also be present in infants and the child will be fussy.
Many women do not realize the child has an outbreak of thrush until
the infection is passed to the mother’s breast as a consequence
of nursing. The mother’s nipples will become red and irritated
with taut areolas and sharp pain deep in the breast.
Imbalances Cause Thrush
The causes of oral thrush are issues that create an imbalance in the
normal relationship between our body and the Candida albicans. When
something happens to weaken the body’s immune system, the naturally
occurring viruses, bacteria, and fungi that travel in our bodies and
co-exist with us peacefully and beneficially can suddenly begin to
grow out of control.
Other Diseases Can Be Responsible
Many medical conditions can be the cause of oral thrush. In the last
twenty-five years HIV/AIDS has topped this list. The human immunodeficiency
virus (HIV) attacks all aspects of the immune system making the patient
highly susceptible to infections of all types. Although rare early
in cases of AIDS, thrush often appears when the T-cell count falls
below 350. If the T-cells fall below 200 the thrush will most likely
spread into the throat. The presence of thrush normally indicates
the AIDS is worsening.
Cancers of any kind and their treatment also affect the immune
system resulting in outbreaks of thrush. Thrush can be very serious
for patients with cancer or HIV as it further weakens the immune
system and, if allowed to spread into the throat, limits their ability
to take adequate nutrition.
In diabetic patients where the saliva contains large amounts of
sugar, thrush is common. If a woman has a vaginal yeast infection
during pregnancy the chances are good her baby will have thrush.
Another common cause of thrush is a problem called xerostomia or
dry mouth syndrome.
Dry mouth can occur as a natural consequence of aging, from the
use of tobacco products, or from medications. Some autoimmune diseases
also cause dry mouth. Anything that is likely to disrupt the chemistry
of the mouth can be a cause of an outbreak of thrush. Even wearing
dentures (and not properly maintaining the appliance) can be responsible
for thrush. (Also be aware that the use of antibiotics or corticosteroids
that upset the body’s chemical balance may be culprits as
well.)
Diagnosis, Mainly By Visual Exam
Normally the diagnosis is nothing more than a visual examination of
the mouth. Find a photograph of oral thrush. Charts of disorders of
the mouth usually contain such an illustration. You will see that
the outbreak resembles cottage cheese and is quite distinctive. Occasionally
a doctor will take a small scraping of a single lesion for examination
under the microscope but usually simply looking at the outbreak is
enough for a doctor to begin oral thrush treatment.
If the thrush has spread into the throat, the doctor will likely
take a throat swab and culturing the collected tissue. This is simply
to determine which bacteria or fungus is growing back there. If
the outbreak is particularly severe, endoscopic examination with
a device that allows the doctor to see the esophagus, stomach, and
the upper portions of the small intestine may be required. This
is done under mild sedation and local anesthesia to prevent coughing
and gagging.
An alternate imaging method has the patient drinking a “milkshake”
of barium prior to being x-rayed. The x-rays are taken as the barium
flows down the esophagus and into the stomach and serves to highlight
and define the areas that require examination.
