Will oral thrush go away: Leukoplakia: Causes, Symptoms, and Diagnosis

16.08.202304.07.2023 by alexxlab

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Leukoplakia: Causes, Symptoms, and Diagnosis

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Medically reviewed by Elaine K. Luo, M.D. — By Kristeen Moore — Updated on May 11, 2019

What is leukoplakia?

Leukoplakia is a condition in which thick, white or grayish patches form usually inside your mouth. Smoking is the most common cause. But other irritants can cause this condition as well.

Mild leukoplakia is usually harmless and often goes away on its own. More serious cases may be linked to oral cancer and must be treated promptly.

Regular dental care can help prevent recurrences.

Learn more about spots on the tongue.

Leukoplakia occurs on parts of the body that have mucosal tissue, such as the mouth.

The condition is marked by unusual-looking patches inside your mouth. These patches can vary in appearance and may have the following features:

white or gray color
thick, hard, raised surface
hairy/fuzzy (hairy leukoplakia only)
red spots (rare)

Redness may be a sign of cancer. See your doctor right away if you have patches with red spots.

Leukoplakia can occur on your gums, the inside of your cheeks, under or on your tongue, and even on your lips. The patches may take several weeks to develop. They’re rarely painful.

Some women may develop leukoplakia on the outside of their genitals in the vulva area as well as inside the vagina. This is usually seen in menopausal women. It’s a benign condition. If there is concern about anything more serious, you should contact your doctor.

The exact cause of leukoplakia is unknown. It’s primarily linked to tobacco use. Smoking is the most common cause. But chewing tobacco can also cause leukoplakia.

Other causes include:

injury to the inside of your cheek, such as from biting
rough, uneven teeth
dentures, especially if improperly fitted
inflammatory conditions of the body
long-term alcohol use

While some research suggests there may be a link between leukoplakia and the human papilloma virus (HPV), there’s not enough evidence to support a connection.

Hairy leukoplakia

The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is the main cause of hairy leukoplakia. Once you get this virus, it remains in your body permanently. EBV is usually dormant.

However, it can cause hairy leukoplakia patches to develop at any time. Outbreaks are more common in people with HIV or other immune problems.

Find out more about the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) test.

Leukoplakia is usually diagnosed with an oral exam. During an oral exam, your healthcare provider can confirm if the patches are leukoplakia. You might mistake the condition for oral thrush.

Thrush is a yeast infection of the mouth. The patches it causes are usually softer than leukoplakia patches. They may bleed more easily. Leukoplakia patches, unlike oral thrush, can’t be wiped away.

Your healthcare provider may need to do other tests to confirm the cause of your spots. This helps them suggest a treatment that may prevent future patches from developing.

If a patch looks suspicious, your healthcare provider will do a biopsy. To do a biopsy, they remove a small piece of tissue from one or more of your spots.

They then send that tissue sample to a pathologist for diagnosis to check for precancerous or cancerous cells.

Follow this link to learn more about what mouth cancer looks like.

Most patches improve on their own and don’t require any treatment. It’s important to avoid any triggers that may have caused your leukoplakia, such as tobacco use. If your condition is related to irritation from a dental problem, your dentist may be able to address this.

If a biopsy comes back positive for oral cancer, the patch must be removed immediately. This can help prevent cancer cells from spreading.

Patches can be removed by using laser therapy, a scalpel, or a freezing procedure.

Hairy leukoplakia is not likely to result in mouth cancer and usually does not require removal. Your healthcare provider might prescribe antiviral medications to help stop the patches from growing. Topical ointments containing retinoic acid can also be used to reduce patch size.

Many cases of leukoplakia can be prevented with lifestyle changes:

Stop smoking or chewing tobacco.
Reduce alcohol use.
Eat antioxidant-rich foods such as spinach and carrots. Antioxidants may help deactivate irritants that cause patches.

Contact your healthcare provider immediately if you believe you have leukoplakia. They can help you keep the patches from getting worse.

Follow-up appointments are crucial. Once you develop leukoplakia, you have an increased risk of developing it again in the future.

In most cases, leukoplakia isn’t life threatening. The patches don’t cause permanent damage to your mouth. Lesions usually clear on their own within a few weeks after the source of irritation is removed.

However, if your patch is particularly painful or looks suspicious, your dentist may order tests to rule out:

oral cancer
HIV
AIDS

A history of leukoplakia can increase your risk for oral cancer, so let your doctor know if you’ve noticed irregular patches in your mouth. Many of the risk factors for leukoplakia are also risk factors for oral cancer. Oral cancer can form alongside leukoplakia.

Last medically reviewed on May 10, 2019

How we reviewed this article:

Healthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical associations. We avoid using tertiary references. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

Feller L, et al. (2012). Oral leukoplakia as it relates to HPV infection: A review. DOI:
10.1155/2012/540561
Mayo Clinic Staff. (2018). Leukoplakia.
mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/leukoplakia/symptoms-causes/syc-20354405
Mayo Clinic Staff. (2018). Oral thrush.
mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/oral-thrush/symptoms-causes/syc-20353533

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Medically reviewed by Elaine K. Luo, M.D. — By Kristeen Moore — Updated on May 11, 2019

How Long Does Oral Thrush Last Without Treatment?

How Long Does Oral Thrush Last Without Treatment?Clinical Content Reviewed by Dr. Jay Khorsandi, DDS

Last Modified:January 5, 2023

⊗

Clinical content featured by Byte is reviewed and fact-checked by a licensed dentist or orthodontist to help ensure clinical accuracy.

We follow strict sourcing guidelines and each page contains a full list of sources for complete transparency.

What Is Oral Thrush?
Treatment
If Untreated
Home Remedies
When to See a Doctor
References

A healthy individual has a relative number of microorganisms including fungi in their mouth. These organisms, known as normal flora, rarely cause disease. But in cases of reduced immunity, microbes may multiply and present with different symptoms. Oral thrush is one of the conditions that stems from fungal overgrowth in the oral cavity.

What Is Oral Thrush?

Medically referred to as oral candidiasis, oral thrush is an infection of the mouth caused by a group of fungi known as Candida. The hallmark of this type of candidiasis is white patches in the oral cavity.

Other symptoms of oral candidiasis include:

Unpleasant taste, especially after waking up or total loss of taste
Increased redness of the throat and the entire oral mucosa (mouth walls)
Cracking and pain at the corners of the mouth
Difficulty in chewing and swallowing when the infection involves the throat

You may experience all the mentioned symptoms of oral thrush or just a few of them. The manifestation of the infection varies from one individual to another depending on the immune status and personal oral hygiene.

Brushing can dislodge the mouth plaques and cause mild bleeding. Beyond that, oral thrush is not a serious infection.

How Do You Treat Oral Thrush?

Mild forms of thrush usually require no medical interventions. People with healthy immune systems clear the infection in a matter of days. You only need to maintain proper oral hygiene.

Severe cases of thrush will require medical help, and a typical antifungal treatment is largely effective. Topical and systemic medications are the dominant modes of treating serious infections. Prescription mouthwash can also provide considerable symptomatic relief.

Topical treatment of oral thrush involves the use of antifungal gels or suspensions that you apply directly to your mouth. You’ll often need to use these treatments several times a day or as prescribed by your physician.

You may need systemic medications, administered orally or intravenously, if your case is more serious and if you risk spreading thrush to other parts of the body. After evaluating your status, the doctor will decide which drugs best suit you.

While the antifungal drugs for managing oral thrush are relatively safe, you may experience limited side effects that include vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, or bloating. Sometimes oral thrush may be caused by prolonged use of particular prescription drugs such as corticosteroids. In such cases, drug withdrawal or dose reduction may be necessary for the management of thrush.

When diagnosing thrush, a visual exam is usually all that is needed; in addition to checking in your mouth, the doctor will ask you about your medical history.

What Happens if You Don’t Treat Oral Thrush?

For healthy people, oral thrush is rarely a problem. Cases are almost always mild, and they resolve themselves without any treatment.

Left untreated, however, candidiasis of the mouth can flare up into a serious systemic infection that involves several organs in immunocompromised subjects. The heart and lungs are the most likely organs to be affected.

Immunocompromised individuals have poor immunity with decreased ability to fight diseases. The majority suffer from other co-morbidities such as HIV, diabetes or cancer.

Home Remedies for Thrush

Unless you have a serious infection, simple home remedies are enough for symptomatic relief and elimination of oral thrush. Active-culture yogurt, for instance, acts as a biological way of clearing the yeast from the mouth. The yogurt is rich in probiotic bacteria, Lactobacilli, which compete with the yeast cells for nutrients leading to a decreased growth of the fungi. The use of active-culture yogurt in some age groups including the pediatric category requires the input of a qualified health professional.

If you experience itching or burning sensations associated with oral thrush, cold beverages and drinks will give you temporary relief. Smoothies, crushed-ice beverages and chilled soups are among the easy-to-swallow remedies you can try.

Warm saltwater is another non-medical way of dealing with thrush. Dissolve a half teaspoonful of salt in a cup of warm water and gargle to relieve throat soreness.

Maintaining good oral hygiene is the ultimate home remedy for thrush. Brushing your teeth, tongue, and gums at least twice daily using a soft toothbrush helps to keep your mouth clean. After every meal, rinse your mouth with water to wash away food particles that would otherwise promote the growth of Candida.

If you use dentures, keep them clean by disinfecting them regularly. You will want to avoid alcohol-containing mouthwashes that are likely to worsen the burning sensation of thrush.

When Should You See a Doctor?

Oral thrush is often a mild infection that usually doesn’t require a trip to the doctor or urgent care. However, you should seek medical advice as soon as you develop signs and symptoms of the condition. The doctor will examine your mouth to diagnose the infection but may also perform blood tests to check for other medical conditions often associated with oral thrush.

Oral thrush is a rare infection in the general healthy population but occurs in up to a third of patients with advanced AIDS disease.

References

Clinical and microbiological diagnosis of oral candidiasis. (December 1, 2013). Journal of Clinical and Experimental Dentistry. Date fetched: August 1, 2021.

Oropharyngeal Candidiasis in the Era of Antiretroviral Therapy. (April1, 2010). Medical Management and Pharmacology Update. Date fetched: August 3, 2021.

Disclaimer: This article is intended to promote understanding of and knowledge about general oral health topics. It is not intended to serve as dental or other professional health advice and is not intended to be used for diagnosis or treatment of any condition or symptom. You should consult a dentist or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment.

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Thrush in the mouth – causes, types, treatment

Author:

Marbery Gedrean
| Checked by: Shteba Victoria Petrovna

| Last revised: October 01, 2021.

Oral candidiasis is an inflammatory fungal disease. This disease is widespread among people of different groups, sexes and ages. The development of the pathological process is closely associated with a decrease in local and general immunity. At the same time, almost all people are carriers of Candida fungi. Since these are opportunistic microorganisms, they normally do not affect health in any way. However, under the influence of risk factors, their active growth begins, and then candidiasis is diagnosed. Other names are thrush, fungal stomatitis.

What may be the factors for the development of the disease

Thrush is not always an independent pathology. Fungal inflammation in the mouth can indicate other diseases in the body. At risk will always be people who ignore the rules of hygiene. It also includes people with other dental disorders.

Risk factors are also:

Immunodeficiency.
Diabetes.
Deficient conditions.
Severe infectious diseases.
Transferred operations.

One of the most common causes is the uncontrolled use of antibiotics. These drugs affect not only pathogens, but also healthy bacteria, which leads to a violation of the microflora. Pathogenic microorganisms begin to prevail, local immunity decreases.

Diet can also affect the risk of candidiasis. The growth of Candida increases in the case of the predominance of carbohydrates in the diet.

Common bad habits are also risk factors. This applies to both alcohol and smoking, and various drugs. People with mouth piercings are at risk.

The presence of orthopedic and orthodontic structures increases the risk of illness, especially if the rules for their care are not followed.

One of the factors of thrush is a change in the composition of saliva. When it becomes viscous, dry mouth appears, local immunity is disturbed.

This disease is especially common in children. Mushrooms enter the body of the child during childbirth. As a result, thrush develops due to unformed children’s immunity.

What are the types of the disease

Oral thrush has several variants of the course.

Pseudomembranous in many cases presents with little to no symptoms. The patient may have a white coating and mild discomfort. There may be plaques of different sizes depending on the severity of the course of the pathological process. They are easy to remove.

Atrophic occurs with burning symptoms. At the same time, the mucous membrane is very red, but plaque may be completely absent. The patient notes an unpleasant aftertaste. This type of disease is most often the result of taking certain medications.

Hyperplastic is characteristic of the adult population. This form of the disease often affects the lips, corners of the mouth. Plaques appear, which gradually merge into one large one.

How therapy is carried out

The main treatment includes special antifungal medicines. Local therapy is also carried out. Gels, ointments, solutions are prescribed to eliminate the symptomatic complex and improve overall well-being.

We recommend to make an appointment with a dentist for examination and treatment of teeth.

Recurrent thrush in women living with HIV

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Recurrent thrush in women living with HIV

Recurrent thrush in women living with HIV

The symptoms of thrush are familiar to most women of reproductive age, but among people living with HIV, the problem is even more acute. Such patients suffer from frequent recurrences of vaginal candidiasis, which cause constant discomfort, interfere with a full sexual life, and can cause psycho-emotional and neurotic disorders.

Features of thrush in HIV-positive

Since candidiasis is one of the main markers of immunosuppression, women with HIV who do not receive adequate antiretroviral therapy (ARVT) are at increased risk. They have recurrent thrush has a number of important differences that must be considered in the diagnosis and treatment:

● the prevalence of chronic symptoms in the form of itching, vaginal dryness, pain during intercourse;

● causative agents of candidiasis (Candida albicans, dubliniensis, glabrata) are often associated with pathogenic staphylococci and streptococci, which worsens the course of the disease and complicates therapy;

● higher incidence of non-albicans candidiasis (NAC), which is difficult to treat with standard antimycotics and can cause false drug resistance;

● An increased risk of contracting other sexually transmitted infections (STIs), since the combination of reduced immunity and inflamed vaginal mucosa are ideal conditions for pathogens to enter.

How to get rid of the symptoms of thrush

With vulvovaginal candidiasis without signs of invasion and complications, standard treatment regimens are carried out. Patients are selected with antifungal drugs of local and systemic action, which suppress the reproduction of fungi of the genus Candida. To increase the effectiveness of therapy, a smear culture and vaginal discharge are performed. The results allow you to accurately determine the type of pathogen and select the appropriate drug, to which there will be no drug resistance.

Antimycotics successfully cope with the cause of candidiasis, but it is equally important to eliminate its symptoms so that a woman can lead a full life. To improve well-being and harmonize sexual relations, gynecologists recommend:

● use hypoallergenic water-based lubricants that increase the comfort of sexual intercourse for a woman and level the effects of chronic dryness in the vagina;

● Choose quality condoms that are free from synthetic fragrances and other potentially harmful additives that can cause symptoms and increase irritation in the genital tract.

● conduct intimate hygiene with special gels that normalize the acid-base balance and create unfavorable conditions for the reproduction of fungi;

● Refuse to use intimate deodorants;

● refuse foam and bath salts, which provoke irritation of the mucous membranes of the genital tract;

● For daily wear, choose comfortable underwear with a cotton gusset that will not rub the vulva.

Prevention of recurrent thrush

With HIV infection and a decrease in the level of CD4 cells, specific prophylaxis with antifungal drugs is recommended. For this purpose, tablet forms of drugs from the pharmacological group of triazoles are most often used, which have a sufficient breadth of action and efficiency. It should be borne in mind that such drugs can interact with drugs for ARVT, so the gynecologist and infectious disease specialist work together to select a pharmacotherapy regimen.

Do not forget that antiretroviral therapy is a key element for preventing exacerbations of thrush and preventing invasive candidiasis. It allows you to increase the number of CD4 cells that provide immune protection and prevents the progression of the disease to AIDS.

Compliance with the ART regimen prescribed by the infectious disease specialist, combined with regular visits to the gynecologist and maintenance therapy, are the main steps to control the course of vaginal candidiasis and return the comfort and pleasure of intimate life to a woman living with HIV.

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Will oral thrush go away: Leukoplakia: Causes, Symptoms, and Diagnosis