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Patient education: Thrush (The Basics)

Patient education: Thrush (The Basics)

What is thrush? — Thrush is an infection that affects the mouth and throat. This type of infection is caused by a fungus called "Candida." Candida is a type of fungus called "yeast," so some people call thrush a yeast infection of the mouth and throat. The same kind of yeast can cause diaper rash (in babies) or vaginal infections.

Anyone can get thrush. But it is more common in:

Infants

Older adults

People taking antibiotics

People who are taking inhaled steroid medicines

People who have a weak immune system (for example, people being treated for cancer and people with AIDS)

What are the symptoms of thrush? — Many people with thrush have no symptoms. When symptoms do occur, they can include:

White patches lining the cheeks, on the tongue, or on back of the throat (picture 1)

Redness inside the mouth without white patches. (This happens in people who wear dentures.)

Cottonmouth, which is when you feel like your mouth is filled with cotton

Pain with eating and swallowing

Should I see my doctor or nurse? — Yes. If you have symptoms of thrush, call your doctor or nurse for an appointment.

Is there a test for thrush? — Yes, but most people do not need it. Your doctor or nurse should be able to diagnose thrush just by looking inside your mouth. To confirm, they might also run a Q-tip (called a "swab") along your tongue or cheek and collect some fluid. Then they send the fluid to the lab and have it checked for yeast.

How is thrush treated? — People with thrush usually get a prescription mouth rinse or a lozenge that has medicine to kill the yeast. (A lozenge is like a candy that you suck on.) There is also a tablet that sticks to your gums. If these options do not work, people sometimes take a pill that has medicine to kill yeast. People who have severe infections or other health problems sometimes get the pill right away.

People who wear dentures must also clean their dentures really well every night.

Can I prevent thrush? — For most people, doctors and nurses do not give medicines to prevent thrush. The best way to prevent thrush is by keeping your mouth clean. If you wear dentures, it is really important to clean them every night and to give your mouth some time without the dentures.

More on this topic

Patient education: Mouth and dental injuries in children (The Basics)

This topic retrieved from UpToDate on: Jan 02, 2023.
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