What Are the Symptoms and Remedies of Oral Thrush?

Oral thrush is a discomforting occurrence in the mouth.

You may have never heard of it, but you are almost certainly aware of it. Confined mostly to small children, especially infants and toddlers, and older adults, oral thrush can also affect those with weakened immune systems.

Is it deadly?

No, but it can certainly cause pain and disharmony for all of those who are unlucky enough to end up with it.

It is also worth mentioning that oral thrush, while most commonly found on the tongue or inner lining of your cheeks, can spread elsewhere within the oral cavity. The places it can go? Try the roof of your mouth, your esophagus, your gums, or even your tonsils. These are more severe cases and can prove more difficult for treatment.

So How Do I Know If I Have Oral Thrush?

Do you experience excessive soreness in the oral cavity? Can you spot milky white lesions on the surface of your mouth? If scraped across harder surfaces, such as some foods and the backs of your teeth, do the lesions bleed? Have you ever noticed blood when brushing your teeth, yet the problem had nothing to do with a toothache or cavity?

If you can answer yes to any of these questions, then you may be experiencing the unsettling dilemma of oral thrush. It can get in the way of enjoying food and drink – even intimacy – and it does have a tendency to place a halt on enjoyment for as long as it stays around.

What Causes Oral Thrush?

Oral thrush is simply a fungal infection. There is a fungus that usually rests harmlessly in your mouth called candida. Anything from respiratory infections to ill-fitting dentures can cause the candida to flare up and produce the painful phenomenon of oral thrush. Other possible factors that may influence its growth and development:

* Mononucleosis

* Diabetes if not controlled carefully

* Dry mouth

* Thyroid problems

* AIDS

* Cancer

* Spread by breast feeding if mother has a vaginal yeast infection

* Xerostomia (or a form of dry mouth caused by inadequate production from the salivary glands)

What Can I Do To Treat Oral Thrush?

Treatment of oral thrush varies. Sometimes you do not have to do a thing, and the infection will clear up on its own. But if you do have to take action, there are a variety of methods available that will help you get things under control. Pretty much anything you can do to increase the "good bacteria" levels in your mouth will stave off the infection, working to counterbalance any ill effects.

Consumption of natural yogurts is one place to turn for just such a result. Gargling and/or rinsing with warm salt-water can ease the discomfort as well. Some cases may require topical medications or treatment of any underlying conditions that may have caused the flare-up to begin with.

Whatever you do, it is important to keep an eye on the lesions and take whatever healthy treatments are available to you. If any safe or doctor-approved treatments help you cope with the condition, then consistently use them until your mouth – and your life – returns to normal.

by : Gen Wright
Source : www.articlesfactory.com