Thrush: It Can Be Sneaky

You may find it on the roof of your mouth, your gums, tonsils, the back of your throat or even on the underside of your lips.

Thrush is a yeast infection, a kind of fungus or mold. As a result of thrush, people have white patches or little white spots that look like blisters mainly in their throat. This type of problem is very often associated with people who have immune deficiencies, low immune response or are taking large amounts of antibiotics that get rid of the normal bacteria in their throat. Thrush in the throat can be very irritating. Not only do you see white patches, but also red inflammatory areas in the throat that can cause sore throats and difficulty swallowing.

Thrush can also occur in patients who are taking steroids, especially inhaled steroids. Thrush, also called oral candidiasis, is caused by an overgrowth of yeast in the mouth due to a decrease in the infection-fighting ability of the immune system in the mouth. It can normally be prevented with mouth rinsing and tooth brushing after the use of inhaled steroids, but some people still tend to get thrush despite following these measures.

Sometimes switching to a metered dose inhaler with a spacer and continued mouth rinsing will reduce the steroid deposit in the back of the throat, which will, in turn, reduce the thrush.

According to the Allergy & Asthma Network Mothers of Asthmatics (AANMA), “The American Dental Association recommends people with thrush brush their teeth several times a day, sterilize the toothbrush with hydrogen peroxide or alcohol, and use an antiseptic mouthwash. They also say to avoid sugary foods and drinks and those with yeast, like bread, beer or wine, which may feed the infection and encourage its growth.”

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