Developing thrush or an oral yeast infection is obviously a distressing condition and there isn't always a lot of information available to understand it.
The problem is often called thrush when it appears in babies but when it appears in adults it can be called other things including morniliasis and candidiasis.
What Is It? Oral thrush and related conditions occur from the mouth developing infection in the mucous membranes.
This can happen for various reasons including from disease, bacteria, or fungus.
Most often it is caused from the candida albicans fungus.
This is a fungus that resembles yeast and occurs naturally in the body.
It is often found in relatively small quantities in the digestive tract and also in the vaginal area for women.
Yeast infections are a relatively common problem for females and this is the same candida which can cause problems in the throat and mouth.
Infection often starts when the candida grows rapidly and increases to significantly higher levels than are normally present.
This fungi can begin to infect the throat and mouth as it tends to target the natural body tissues.
It can also produce some toxins that will often lead to burning and pain in these areas.
Oral yeast infection sometimes brings a discharge which might vary in color from white to a cream-like color.
There might also be yellowish spots that can indicate that the yeast has grown considerably and has started to infect the mouth's mucous membranes.
Not surprisingly, this will often lead to significant pain and discomfort.
How Does It Start? The candida or infection in the mouth area can be triggered by many different things including drug abuse, malnutrition, and diabetes.
It can also occur when someone has a weakened immune system as this creates an environment that assists the candida growth.
This is often the reason that older people and babies are more chance of developing thrush or related problems.
Ill-fitting dentures can even be a cause of oral yeast infection as they can lead to the mucous membranes being damaged.
The affected areas can allow the candida to get into the surrounding tissue.
Treatment Treatment options will vary depending on what has actually caused the infection.
Antibiotics are one option but they won't be suitable for all circumstances.
You may be prescribed anti-fungal medication that can remove any fungi from your mouth or throat area.
Anti-fungal drugs that target this condition will often be a type of lozenge that allows the anti-fungal agent to directly come in contact with the infected area.
If the infection is already well established, any anti-fungal lozenge may not be effective and other options may be recommended by your doctor.
If you think that you may be suffering from an oral yeast infection, get medical advice as soon as possible.
There are treatment options available and you want to implement the appropriate one for you before the condition intensifies.