Dental Bites: Candidiasis

Candidiasis, also called oropharyngeal candidiasis, oral candidiasis or just thrush, is a fungal infection that creates painful white sores in your mouth. However, in some cases, the mouth will not produce white spots but look bright red and be very sore instead. Oral thrush can be a bit unsightly, but there’s no need to worry! These fungal infections can be treated and, even better, prevented.

Not sure if what you’re seeing in your mouth is oral thrush? Here are some common symptoms you can watch out for:

• Painful white spots on the tongue or inner cheeks. Occasionally, the area will not produce white spots, but will become red and sore. The tonsils may also be discolored, feel very scratchy and make it difficult to swallow too. The gums and lips may get very sore and even bleed slightly.

• A noticeable loss of taste when eating or drinking. This may mean you can’t taste anything at all or your sense of taste is diminished or altered, depending on the severity of the case. An example of this is having a metallic taste in the mouth (parageusia).

• For denture wearers, cracking or redness near the corners of the mouth. This is also known as angular cheilitis or angular stomatitis and perleche. It can affect just one side of the mouth or both sides. This condition can last for a couple of days or a longer period of time depending on how well it is treated.

• A bad taste in the mouth. Occasionally, everyone has a bad taste in the mouth, and in normal cases, it goes away after brushing or rinsing the mouth. However, in the case of an Oral thrush, it may not be that simple. If the taste in your mouth remains consistently bitter, metallic or foul, it may be a sign of oral thrush.

“If you suspect that you have oral thrush, visit your dentist to confirm the case. Your dentist may prescribe one or several anti-fungal medications for you to take. Once you begin treatment oral thrush usually goes away within a couple of weeks. But in some cases it can return. Your doctor might also recommend home remedies or lifestyle changes to help treat oral thrush or stop it from coming back.”