dental hygiene
You look in the mirror and notice white patches on your tongue or the inside of your cheeks. They don’t wipe away easily. Your mouth feels a little sore. Eating spicy food suddenly isn’t much fun. That’s often when people first hear the words “oral thrush.”
So what’s actually happening?
Oral thrush is a fungal infection inside the mouth. It’s usually caused by a yeast called Candida. That yeast already lives in many people’s mouths without causing trouble. Then something changes. Your body’s natural balance shifts and the yeast grows more than it should.
It isn’t a sign that your mouth is dirty. I wish more people knew that because it saves a lot of unnecessary worry.
What does it look and feel like?
Most people notice creamy white patches. They often appear on the tongue. Sometimes they’re inside the cheeks or on the roof of the mouth. If you try to scrape them away, the area underneath may look red and can even bleed a little.
• A sore feeling that seems to stick around, especially while eating something hot.
• Some people say food suddenly tastes a bit different, which is surprisingly annoying after a few meals.
• Dryness in the mouth. Not everyone gets it, though when it shows up you tend to notice it all day.
Babies can get oral thrush. Older adults do too. People who wear dentures are more likely to deal with it. The same goes for anyone using inhaled steroid medicines without rinsing their mouth afterward. Antibiotics sometimes play a part because they reduce the helpful bacteria that normally keep yeast under control.
Can you treat it?
Yes. And it’s usually straightforward once you know what you’re dealing with. A doctor or dentist may prescribe an antifungal medicine. It often comes as a gel or liquid that stays in the mouth for a short time before you swallow it.
You’ll also want to deal with whatever allowed the infection to grow in the first place. Clean dentures well if you wear them. Rinse your mouth after using a steroid inhaler. If dry mouth keeps bothering you, don’t ignore it because it tends to keep the cycle going.
• Good brushing matters. Cleaning your tongue gently matters too, even if it feels like an extra step at first.
• If the white patches keep returning, don’t keep buying random mouth products. Find out why it’s happening.
Don’t shrug it off
Oral thrush isn’t usually dangerous, though leaving it alone rarely makes life more comfortable. Eating becomes unpleasant. Your mouth stays irritated. You start thinking every little change is something worse.
