Health Information Blog

When a yeast infection is oral (in the mouth) it is sometimes called Thrush. The yeast infections are particularly common in the vagina - they simply thrive in warm and moist parts of the body - folds of skin in the obese, the genitals, the anus and of course the mouth are all places more likely to show symptoms of the fungus, Candida Albicans overgrowth.

Causes of Thrush: Nearly all people actually have small amounts of candida already in our bodies, in our digestive tracts, on our skin, in our mouth. The growth of this fungus is kept under control by good bacteria we also have, so the fungus is usually harmless. When something happens to destroy the balance between the tow microorganisms such as medications, an illness or diet for example, the candida seizes the opportunity to multiply and its overgrowth leads to a yeast infection. Things that can cause the imbalance to occur are prolonged use of antibiotics or corticosteroids, birth control pills, diabetes, HIV, cancer treatment, and even pregnancy as there is a large hormone imbalance during that time.

The key symptoms: - White patches in the mouth on the inside of the cheeks, the gums, the throat, the roof of the mouth and the tongue; pain when swallowing; difficulty eating and drinking; lesions beneath the white spots that bleed.

Prevention: Brush your teeth at least twice a day and maintain good oral hygiene. Avoid mouthwashes and sprays as they upset the balance in the mouth. Smoking should be stopped as smokers have a much higher risk of getting Thrush.

How to treat Thrush: There are several over the counter options for you to choose from, or if it is a particularly severe case you need to see your doctor for a stronger drug. There are also natural means to help soothe the symptoms such as eating plain probiotic yogurt. In order to prevent a recurring problem look for the triggers above and identify what your root cause is and deal with that too.

For more info on how to deal with candida, check out our candida symptoms and cure website, where you can find plenty of information on the subject. Today’s special: oral yeast infection