Oral Thrush in Babies and Adults

Scrolling through the internet as I usually do during my free time, I came across the video of a baby whose tongue was unusually white; despite the fact it was a funny video, that was the first thing I noticed. Then I went to the comment section and noticed some other users had advised the parent to clean up the baby's tongue, and one user specifically mentioned thrush, which made me decide to learn more about it even if I have briefly heard of it before.

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Thrush is called Candida overgrowth; usually Candida would simply live within the body without any issue—I mean, any part of the body for that matter—but there are times when it gets out of control.

Babies can experience thrush during the first few months of their lives. Some researchers believe it may be because of their weak immune system that makes it unable for them to fight infection just yet. But adults can get affected too, and that only means there may be something else involved.

However, we know that not all adults have a strong immune system all the time. There are situations that could make the immune system of an adult not so strong; a good example is the presence of HIV/AIDS, where the lesions may spread downward into the esophagus.

At the early stage, symptoms of oral thrush may not be noticed, but as time goes on, certain symptoms would become more visible in the form of;

• Cracks or redness appearing at the corners of your mouth.

• Lack of taste

• Creamy, white lesions appearing on your tongue, inner cheeks, and often times on the roof of the mouth, gum, and tonsils.

• Redness, or soreness that may be really severe and makes eating or swallowing difficult.

When an adult experiences thrust, it can produce pain that makes it difficult to swallow, as the affected patient often feels something may be struck in their throat.

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Infants and their breast-feeding mothers may pass the infection amongst one another, from the mother's breast to the baby's mouth and back and forth like that. When a woman's breast has been infected, she would notice unusually red, cracked, or itchy nipples. Unusual breastfeeding pains, alongside a shiny or flaky skin on the areola, are also identified.

Simply peeping into the mouth of your baby and noticing white patches or sores on the gum, tongue, and inside the mouth, will help you notice it's presence, you also need to watch out for cracks im the mouth. It is also important to bear in mind that, milk residue could also stain the tongue of your child's mouth and it could be the reason behind the stain.

But the difference between a milk stain and a possible cause for worry is that, if you wipe out a milk stain, it would get clean, but in an existing case of thrust, a simple wipe would not suffice.

Wikipedia

Parents must ensure proper washing and sterilization of the feeding items and toys of their infants; disposable nursing pads are advised, and breasts need to be kept dry after each feeding.

Thrush can be treated with an anti-fungal gel or liquid that directly goes into the mouth; it would be a safe prescription from your doctor. An antifungal medication may also be prescribed for a breastfeeding mom. Treatment shouldn't last beyond seven days, and that is even the maximum period.

However, bear in mind that the symptoms could be a sign of other health issues, and that's the more reason why it is important to see a doctor for proper diagnosis and treatment by extension. It is necessary for mother and child to receive treatment to avoid spreading amongst one another.

Treating oral thrush is a great necessity; if we fail to treat it, it could result in a more serious infection, especially in those who have a weak immune system. It could even spread to the esophagus and other parts of the body.

For Further Studies

https://kingstonhospital.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/A0114-V1-Oral-thrush-in-babies.pdf

https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/thrush.html

https://www.healthline.com/health/baby/thrush-in-babies#prevention

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/oral-thrush/symptoms-causes/syc-20353533

https://www.healthline.com/health/thrush#symptoms

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/10956-thrush

https://www.nhsinform.scot/illnesses-and-conditions/infections-and-poisoning/oral-thrush-in-adults/

Hi, I am Tobi, a writer, speaker, relationship blogger, and lover of good music. I love making friends and learning from people. If you want to hear me speak about relationships and general life issues, you can find my YouTube channel where you can watch any episode for free, please do not forget to subscribe, friends. I sincerely appreciate every love I get from here, Kindly do well to keep them coming.