How To Diagnose Oral Thrush & What Is The Best Medicine For It?

If you observe a strange white colored rash in your mouth, you may experience a condition called oral thrush. This type of infection mainly takes place from Candida fungus i.e. a type of yeast. In most cases, individuals suffer from oral thrush i.e. thrush in the mouth. However, it may take place in other body parts i.e. diaper rash in babies and infants. Alternatively, women experience vaginal yeast infection or vaginal thrush. In most cases, thrush takes place to old adults, toddlers, and babies, along with people, who have a weak immune system.⁽¹⁾

The diagnosis of oral thrush depends on the specific location and the identification of the underlying cause. Accordingly-

Your doctor or dentist may diagnose the problem of oral thrush by-

• Examination of the patients’ mouth to check for the lesions
• Collect a small scrap of lesions to conduct its examination under a microscope
• Depending on the requirement, your doctor may recommend physical examinations and specific blood tests to identify all sorts of an underlying medical condition, which may be the prime cause related to oral thrush.

Your doctor may recommend a few of the additional tests to diagnose the presence of thrush in the esophagus.

Endoscopic Examination: According to this procedure, your doctor will examine the stomach, esophagus and upper area of the small intestine i.e. duodenum. For this, your doctor uses a lightweight and flexible tube that has a camera on its tip i.e. endoscope.

Biopsy: According to biopsy procedure, doctors culture a tissue sample on a special type of medium for determining the fungi or bacteria responsible to cause symptoms.

Physical Examination: Depending on requirements, doctors may perform a physical examination and specific blood tests to identify any of the possible underlying medical conditions, which may cause thrush in the patients’ esophagus.⁽²⁾

Over-the-Counter Medications: Over-the-counter probiotic medications and active-culture drinks combined with lactobacilli and acidophilus may restore friendly bacteria in your mouth and the digestive tract and intestinal tract. OTCs are perfect when you suffer from a mild form of oral thrush i.e. after the intake of antibiotics for any other purpose.

Gentian Violet OTC Treatment: Gentian violet is a type of over-the-counter medicine used to cure thrush in adults and babies both, along with HIV patients. The medicine is safe and available at a low cost.

Mycelex Topical Drug: Mycelex is a topical type of drug prescribed by doctors in the form of a lozenge, so that it dissolves in the patient’s mouth slowly i.e. in 20 minutes to 30 minutes. One has to intake the medicine for 5 times in one day and it is non-recommendable for children below 3 years.

Mycostatin Or Nyastatin: Doctors recommend to take Nystatin or Mycostatin as liquid mouthwash or lozenge. For infants and newborns, the medication is applicable by using a finger or a cotton swab. A patient has to take this medicine to 4 times in one day for each of the age groups. Direct contact with this type of medication is essential to fight with Candida yeast. On the other side, if you use the medication in its liquid form, you have to swallow and swish the medication. In the case of infants, you may use a suitable sterile gauze pad for running the medicine on your white patches containing active yeast.

Miconazole: Miconazole is available in gel form and it is useful for babies, who are more than 4 months old. Doctors advise to use the gel for 4 times in one day and continue it for up to 2 days even when the symptoms associated with Candida infection goes away. However, if an oral thrush patient is about 16 years, doctors recommend for a Miconazole tablet named Oravig to place over the gum i.e. above the canine tooth in the morning. The tablet thus dissolves it slowly during the entire day.

Diflucan Or Fluconazole: Patients undergoing chemotherapy or cancer patients should go with the second-line treatment to cure oral thrush. Accordingly, doctors recommend them a single dose of Diflucan or fluconazole.⁽³⁾

References:

Also Read:

• Oral Thrush: Causes, Risk Factors, Investigations, Treatment, Home Remedies, Prevention
• What are the Common Mouth Problems & What is its Cure?
• 5 Common Tongue Problems
• What Causes White Spots On The Tonsils & How To Manage It?
• What are the Causes of a Green Tongue, Know its Treatment, Complications, Prognosis
• What are the Causes of White Spots on Throat?
• Sore Throat Vs Strep Throat: Differences Worth Knowing
• What Are The First Symptoms Of Oral Thrush & How Do You Test For It?