Candida is a yeast fungus that is constantly found on the mucous membrane of the gastrointestinal tract and oral cavity. As a result of stressful situations or taking medications, the balance of microflora becomes unstable. This leads to uncontrolled growth of the fungus and the appearance of thrush in the mouth.
Read on to find out what symptoms it is accompanied by and how to cure the disease in adults.
Causes of thrush in the mouth
Oral candidiasis is a common disease.
Very often a person does not even suspect that he is a carrier of Candida fungus. Its rapid reproduction occurs under the influence of several factors:
- long-term use of antibiotics, cytostatics or glucocorticosteroids;
- vitamin deficiency or hypovitaminosis, lack of iron in the body;
- impaired carbohydrate or fat metabolism;
- diabetes mellitus, problems with the thyroid gland, ovarian function;
- diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, genitourinary or reproductive systems in a chronic form;
- malignant neoplasms, AIDS;
- mechanical damage to the soft tissue of the gums;
- caries, impaired salivation, cyst, periodontitis;
- lack of regular cleaning of acrylic dentures;
- alcoholic beverages, tobacco products; bad ecology;
- frequent stress, overwork.
Reference! Oral thrush cannot appear on its own. It is a consequence of a violation or weakening of the body’s protective properties.
More information about the disease:
Kinds
Infection with oral fungus is accompanied by the creation of favorable conditions. Based on general health, oral candidiasis has a different course and location.
Often the pathology develops in infants and older people. If the body is weakened by constant ARVI or chronic diseases, then the immune system will not be able to counteract the pathogenic microflora and the disease will manifest itself.
By localization
The following types of diseases are distinguished by location:
- Oropharyngeal thrush . The cause is long-term use of antibiotics.
- Mycosis of the gums . A common occurrence associated with fungal infection. It also appears due to non-compliance with hygiene rules, smoking or the use of oral contraceptives.
- Damage to the corners of the mouth . During the development of pathology, cracks may bleed when opening the mouth. Mostly the disease is treated with ointments and creams.
Oropharyngeal thrush
Mycosis of the gums
Damage to the corners of the mouth
By shape
The disease can occur in various forms.
There is the following classification:
- Pseudomembranous acute candidiasis . Almost everyone is susceptible to the disease, but infants often suffer. Pathology can affect various parts of the oropharynx.
- Acute atrophic candidiasis . Formed due to inappropriate therapy. The tongue and corners of the lips become bright red. Plaque at this time is absent or appears only in hard-to-reach places.
- Chronic hyperplastic type . The disease affects the cheeks and tongue. The patient has white spots that differ in shape. The damaged areas become inflamed and redness forms near the white spots. If not treated promptly, the fungus leads to malignancy.
Pseudomembranous acute candidiasis
Acute atrophic candidiasis
Chronic hyperplastic type
Diagnostics of the oral cavity:
How does the disease manifest itself?
Candidiasis has several varieties, which differ from each other in course and etiology. But they have one common feature - a creamy-white plaque in the mouth.
Loose and dense spots are localized on the tonsils, tongue, and inner surface of the cheeks.
An easy way to identify candida at home:
Types of candidiasis and their symptoms
| Form of the disease | Symptoms |
| Acute pseudomembranous |
|
| Acute atrophic |
|
| Chronic hyperplastic |
|
| Chronic atrophic |
|
All types of candidal thrush in adults are accompanied by the appearance of a metallic taste, sometimes the temperature may rise or intoxication of the body may begin. The patient complains of poor health and fatigue.
Attention! Chronic candidiasis worsens with any infectious diseases or decreased immunity. It can affect not only the oral cavity, but also the esophagus.
Diagnosis of the disease
Identifying thrush begins with taking an oral history of the patient.
He must tell the dentist in detail when the first signs appeared, what worries him, and whether there are concomitant diseases. After examining the oral cavity, the patient is sent for a general blood test to determine glucose levels. Microscopic examination of the oral mucosa and biochemistry are carried out to confirm the causative agent of the disease. To do this, a scraping is taken from the surface of the tongue. It is not recommended to eat or brush your teeth for about three hours before the procedure.
Diagnosis should be aimed at identifying the cause that provoked the disease. Only in this case can you correctly draw up a treatment plan. In this case, if necessary, the patient may be referred for consultation to an endocrinologist or dermatologist.
Which doctor treats candidiasis:
Causes
Often the appearance of white plaque in the mouth and the appearance of a persistent unpleasant odor indicate the formation of a fungal infection or diseases of the digestive tract.
Often the following diseases are the triggering factors:
- Acute and chronic gastritis.
- Peptic ulcer disease.
- Gallbladder diseases, hepatitis.
- Acute and chronic pancreatitis.
- Stomach cancer.
Important! In addition, the appearance of white plaque in the oral cavity indicates a deterioration in the immune system, metabolic failure, and fungus. Therefore, if there are initial symptoms of pathology, it is necessary to consult a specialist for a comprehensive diagnosis.
Treatment
Treatment for thrush in the mouth should be carried out comprehensively and consistently.
First of all, drugs are prescribed that can fight the fungus. The patient needs to increase immunity and get rid of dysbacteriosis.
A dermatovenerologist on the treatment of oral thrush in adults and children:
General medications
In the early stages of the disease, therapy consists of taking lozenges:
- Diflucan is taken for fungal infections not only of the skin and mucous membranes, but also of internal organs. The dosage of the drug should not exceed one capsule per day. After about a day, you can notice a decrease in the symptoms of the disease. If thrush is a consequence of reduced immunity, Diflucan can be taken for a month as a preventative measure.
- Levorin or Nystatin is taken four times a day after each meal. The course of treatment is approximately two weeks. On the fifth day of treatment, you can notice a decrease in white plaque in the oral cavity, healing of wounds and cracks in the mucous membrane.
- Flucanazole is characterized by bioavailability and high efficiency. In addition, the drug has no contraindications: it can be taken by pregnant women and children after five years of age. Take two tablets a day for two weeks.
Diflucan
Levorin
Fluconazole
Important! Only the attending physician should prescribe medications after a complete examination and identification of the causes. Any drug can cause an allergic reaction, so the patient should be under the supervision of specialists.
Local preparations
At any stage of candidiasis, gels, ointments and rinses are effective. This is due to the fact that the drugs have a direct effect on the affected areas of the oral cavity.
- The Candide solution has no restrictions on its use. It has a destructive effect on the synthesis of estrogen, which is part of the fungal membrane. A cotton swab is soaked in the solution and the affected areas of the oral mucosa are treated. The procedure must be carried out at least three times a day.
- Miconazole is rubbed into the affected areas twice a day. The course of treatment sometimes lasts up to six weeks. This is influenced by the severity of the disease and symptoms.
- Using brilliant green, Lugol's is used to treat the mucous membrane several times a day. Furacilin solution is used to remove curd deposits. To do this, soak a cotton pad with it and wipe the surface of the cheeks and tongue.
Candide Miconazole Lugol's solution Furacilin
Antifungal ointments and solutions have become very popular. Unlike tablets, they have an effect on the fungus in a short time. In addition, they are not capable of causing harm to internal organs.
How to treat thrush in men and women:
Folk recipes
Traditional medicine has a positive effect on fungal infections, but only when combined with medications:
- Pour dried calendula flowers with a glass of boiling water for an hour. The decoction is taken every day for a week instead of tea. Within two days, the swelling will subside, and the area affected by the plaque will decrease.
- Chop the head of garlic and treat the affected areas with the resulting pulp three times a day. In addition, you can additionally include one clove in your daily diet.
- Cranberry or carrot juices have an antibacterial effect. Every day you need to drink ½ glass for about a month. If necessary, you can additionally wipe the oral mucosa.
- A cotton pad is soaked in aloe, rosehip or sea buckthorn oil. The compress is applied for twenty minutes daily.
- To treat thrush in the mouth, you can use natural honey. Before the procedure, carefully remove plaque with gauze soaked in soda solution. After this, a teaspoon of the product is kept in the mouth until completely absorbed.
Oral candidiasis: causes
There are many subspecies of fungi of the genus Candida. Previously, candidiasis in the mouth in approximately 80% of cases was caused by the species Candida albicans (C.albicans), and only in other cases by the more pathogenic species C.glabrata, C.krusei, C.tropicalis. Currently, C. albicans is the cause of candidiasis in only 50% of patients, i.e. The causes of candidiasis are increasingly becoming the most aggressive species of Candida fungi, which are resistant to many antifungal drugs.
Fungi of the genus Candida under a microscope –
We have already said that the main reason for the appearance of thrush in the mouth is a weakened immune system. For example, this is typical for very young or, on the contrary, very old age. This is typical for patients who take systemic antibiotics and corticosteroid drugs. This is also typical for patients with immunodeficiency conditions - patients with diabetes mellitus, blood diseases (neutropenia, anemia), intestinal dysbiosis, as well as for patients with HIV/AIDS (in the latter, oral candidiasis is diagnosed in 90% of cases). At risk are patients with oncology, including those who have undergone chemotherapy and radiation therapy), as well as women taking oral contraceptives.
Thrush in the mouth of a baby (newborn) is most often associated with the presence of undiagnosed vaginal candidiasis in a woman, which, according to statistics, is present in at least 25-30% of pregnant women. And most often, infection of a newborn occurs precisely during its passage through the birth canal. Thrush in the mouth of children can also be associated with breastfeeding if the woman’s nipples are colonized by fungi of the genus Candida. Infection can occur even simply because you tasted your child's food with his spoon or kissed your child on the lips.
Learn more about some of the causes of thrush –
- After taking antibiotics, the oral cavity normally contains many types of microorganisms that not only coexist, but also inhibit each other’s growth. Taking broad-spectrum antibiotics eliminates some types of bacteria in the oral cavity, which disrupts the balanced composition of the microflora. The disappearance or reduction of certain types of bacteria can lead to the growth of Candida fungi.
- While taking corticosteroids - in patients with diabetes, the use of inhaled corticosteroids can cause oral thrush.
According to statistics, thrush occurs in approximately 5-10% of adults and 1% of children using inhaled corticosteroids. In cases where the cause of thrush is inhaled steroids, candidal lesions usually have the appearance of erythema (redness) rather than snow flakes. Candidiasis lesions appear precisely in those areas of the mucous membrane with which the steroid came into contact (as a rule, this is the back of the tongue, the palate). For this reason, patients taking such medications are advised to rinse their mouth with water after each use of corticosteroids.
- Diet – Research shows that a diet high in carbohydrates also predisposes to oral candidiasis, and therefore it is very important to avoid sweets, including sugar-sweetened drinks, in these patients.
Research shows that the growth of Candida and its adhesion to the mucosa are significantly enhanced in the presence of sugars (glucose, galactose, sucrose). It should also be taken into account that malnutrition can lead to a lack of iron, vitamin B12, and folic acid in the body, which is also a predisposing factor to oral candidiasis.
- Taking oral contraceptives - systematic use of contraceptives (containing estrogens, progestin) leads to an increase in the concentration of glucose in the blood, saliva, and vaginal secretions. The consequence of this is an increase in both the frequency of Candida carriage and the incidence of candidiasis of the oral mucosa, vagina, etc.
- Smoking and other factors – Other factors may include smoking, endocrine disorders (such as diabetes), and the presence of certain diseases of the oral mucosa such as lichen planus and leukoplakia. Often oral candidiasis occurs in patients with a folded tongue or after tongue piercing.
- In patients with removable dentures – most often in patients with removable dentures, candidiasis occurs due to insufficient hygiene of the denture.
In this case, the prosthesis is covered with a biofilm containing a large number of fungi of the genus Candida. At the same time, when chewing, a removable denture always rubs against the mucous membrane of the prosthetic bed, reducing its barrier properties (this facilitates the penetration of fungal microflora deep into the mucous membrane). For this reason, denture disinfection is a very important part of the prevention and treatment of oral candidiasis in people with removable dentures. A predisposing factor may be if the patient does not remove his prosthesis while sleeping. In this case, the mucous membrane is constantly deprived of oxygen and washed with saliva, which creates the preconditions for the proliferation of bacteria and fungi. Another reason may be that the prosthesis does not fit well with the tissues of the prosthetic bed (for example, because its service life has expired), and therefore it injures the mucous membrane. Such microtraumas to the mucosa also contribute to the onset of the development of oral candidiasis.
- Chronic dry mouth - a decrease in the amount of saliva and the content of various enzymes and antibodies in it is an important predisposing factor in the development of oral candidiasis. Dentists call constant dryness in the mouth the term “xerostomia.” Its treatment is a big problem in dentistry.
- Poor oral hygiene – untreated carious teeth and irregular tooth brushing increase the risk of developing candidiasis. Infection in carious defects, soft microbial plaque, hard dental deposits worsen the local immunity of the oral mucosa. Because of this, Candida fungi begin to actively multiply and can penetrate deep into the oral mucosa.
- Oral candidiasis in an infant - at a very young age, the immune system has not yet fully developed. Acute pseudomembranous candidiasis occurs in approximately 5% of newborns. Candida species are acquired from the mother's vaginal canal during childbirth. At an early age, the immune system has not yet fully developed and therefore infants do not have an individual immune response to Candida fungi (infant antibodies to fungi are usually supplied in the mother's breast milk).
Why candidiasis does not develop in people with good immunity:
Patients with a well or satisfactorily functioning immune system almost never get oral thrush (even if Candida fungi are present on the oral mucosa). Prevention of candidiasis is normally ensured by the functions of the innate immune response, and above all, by the effectiveness of the phagocytosis process (24stoma.ru). Let us recall that phagocytosis is the process of absorption and digestion of infectious agents by cells of the immune system - primarily professional phagocytes (macrophages, neutrophils).
The development of candidiasis will also be facilitated by low opsonizing activity of blood cells (opsonization is the process of adsorption of antibodies and complement factors on the surface of infectious agents, which allows for increased phagocytosis). The threat of developing a fungal infection is increased by the functional insufficiency of the T- and B-cell immunity, low levels of immune response mediators (γ-interferon, interleukin-1α, tumor necrosis factor α). A consultation with an immunologist + a general blood test with an extended leukocyte formula and an immunogram will help identify defects in the immune system.
Features of treatment in men and women
Therapy for fungal infections of the oral mucosa is the same for both men and women.
In both cases, it should be aimed at combating the pathogen, raising immunity and eliminating concomitant diseases. Particular attention during treatment should be given to pregnant or lactating women. Some medications can harm your baby's health. Therefore, the course of treatment should only be carried out by the attending physician. In this case, you should not self-medicate.
Analysis of a clinical case of oral thrush in a man:
Diet for oral thrush
For a speedy recovery, it is very important to eat right. The patient should avoid foods that contain yeast, spices and spicy foods .
It is not recommended to drink carbonated and alcoholic drinks. Until the white coating on the oral mucosa completely disappears, it is better to give preference to juices, herbal tea, cereals, nuts, weak meat broths and dairy products.
Following a strict diet as such is not a treatment. With the right therapy, it will help you recover quickly.
Vitamins and minerals
Drugs in this group help maintain immunity and improve the patient’s condition. For this purpose, Ascorbic acid is prescribed. Pyridoxine and Thiamine. When taking antibiotics, they restore the intestinal microflora.
Ascorbic acid
Pyridoxine
Thiamine
Possible complications
In the absence of proper treatment, thrush in the mouth can provoke the appearance of more serious diseases :
- fungal infection of the gastric and intestinal mucosa;
- respiratory problems, in some cases pneumonia;
- inflammation of the membranes of the brain;
- blood poisoning.
Attention! If during pregnancy a woman suffers from oral candidiasis, this can lead to the development of meningitis and sepsis in the newborn.
Prevention
To prevent the onset of the disease, you must follow several expert tips :
- carry out daily oral hygiene;
- treat gastrointestinal diseases in a timely manner;
- timely treatment of caries or purulent pulpitis;
- take a course of vitamins in spring and autumn.
Thrush in the oral cavity in adults most often occurs against the background of reduced immunity or damage to tooth enamel. Therefore, it is very important to conduct timely examinations with specialists and undergo a course of treatment.
Development mechanism
If there are no pathological processes and the internal organs function properly, then white plaque in the oral cavity will appear as a thin film, which can easily be removed after brushing the teeth.
The color of the tongue also changes after consuming various food products that contain a coloring enzyme. However, there are situations when white plaque can cover the oral cavity in a thick layer. Eliminating it is quite difficult, which can be a consequence of improper care, the use of certain medications, or viral diseases.
Doctor about oral candidiasis:
