Oral Yeast Infection

Vaginal yeast infection though very common among women is not the only form of yeast infection which affects people. Yeast infection in the mouth is also pretty common among both men and women and it is the handiwork of a fungus named Candida.

If we try to categorise various types of yeast infection in the mouth we find that they can be neatly subdivided into four types. Let's take a closer look at them.

The first type of yeast infection in the mouth is commonly known as thrush and it mostly affects babies and the elderly among us. In medical parlance it is called Moniliasis and the main symptom is a white (sometimes yellow also) coating which covers the entire inside of the mouth covering tongue, upper palate, inside lips and sometimes throat too. This white coating refuses to be removed when wiped with a moist swipe and if scraped off, flaming red tissues lying underneath are exposed.

Erythematous is another common form of oral yeast infection where the entire surface of the tongue and upper palate become red and layers start peeling off from both the places. If a person suffers from Angular Cheilitis, corners of the mouth will get cracked and these become quite painful if left unattended. The last and the least common among the four types is called Hyperplastic by doctors where extra growth of discolored tissues takes place in the oral cavity. If not treated in time there is a big chance of it spreading to other tissues in the body, so take immediate remedial measures if you apprehend an attack of Hyperplastic.

Other than babies and aged persons, diabetics also are prone to oral yeast infections. As it is their body secretions like sweat and urine contain a more than normal share of glucose and mouth being a warm moist place, the conditions for unchecked growth of yeast are just about perfect. So, they should be extra cautious to keep such infections at bay.

The other group which is most vulnerable to yeast infection are those people who either have a weak immunity system or under medication which deliberately weakens the normal immune system of a healthy human body. This is particularly the case with people who have had an organ transplanted and are taking drugs which tend to suppress the normal immune system in an effort to prevent rejection of the transplanted organ by rest of the body.

People who are undergoing chemotherapy in their battle with cancer or people who suffer from HIV already have a weak immunity system and this makes them happy hunting ground for yeast infections. Even otherwise normal people who have been administered steroids or antibiotics to overcome some other disease can be a victim of oral yeast infection since both antibiotics and steroids tend to lower the normal immunity shield of human bodies by indiscriminately killing bacteria without caring to find out whether they are harmful or otherwise. A relatively simpler situation of iron deficiency can also trigger a wave of yeast infection in the mouth.

If you are averse to popping a medicine at the slightest pretext (there are many among us who would agree to it) you may go for homeopathic remedy Cadida Silicea. If you want to avoid homeopathy also, start taking grape seed oil, gentian, artemisia or capricin tea. But those who consider medicines as a necessary nuisance which has to be endured to get rid of an ailment, Candicidin, Nystatin, Ketoconazole and Amphotericin B are the most common drugs to be taken to be cured of yeast infection in the mouth. You will surely consult a doctor before taking these medicines, won't you?

The constant burning sensation inside the mouth makes babies irritable and they refuse to eat anything. This obviously weakens them and nursing mothers should be extra cautious to ensure that their babies do not contract this infection. One very important thing which mothers should do meticulously is to daily sterilize the pacifiers which the baby keeps sucking the whole day. This goes a long way to keep them free from oral yeast infections.