How to Prevent a Yeast Infection?

Yeast, a type of fungus, occurs naturally in the body and is normally found in controlled numbers in warm, moist places like the genitals and inside the mouth. Yeast usually won’t cause problems — unless it begins growing out of control. You probably know about the itch brought on by genital yeast infections — but a related and painful condition, with some unpleasant yeast infection symptoms, may also occur inside your mouth.

An oral yeast infection, called thrush, occurs when the fungus Candida begins growing more rapidly than usual, often because your immune system is weak. Oral yeast infection symptoms include white, velvet-like patches inside the mouth and on the tongue. These lesions can cause pain inside the mouth and even make it difficult for you to swallow.

Thrush doesn't always require treatment; for example, infants with thrush don't need oral yeast infection treatment, as the condition typically clears up quickly on its own. But for adults, it is important to get the condition diagnosed and treated to prevent the Candida fungus from spreading deeper into the tissues of the mouth and infecting other parts of the body, including your heart and brain. Are You at Risk for Oral Yeast Infections?

If you're a healthy individual with a strong immune system, you're not at much risk of contracting an oral yeast infection and don't need to do much to prevent it. But for people with compromised immune systems, it's a different story. A doctor or your dentist can diagnose thrush and prescribe an oral yeast infection treatment.

Typical treatments include antifungal medications, often in the form of a mouthwash or a lozenge. Having thrush once doesn’t mean you're necessarily at risk of getting it again. But if the same factors that led you to get it in the first place are still present, you are more likely to develop another oral yeast infection.

Recurrent or frequent oral yeast infections may occur in people whose immune system is already involved in fighting another infection or who are not healthy to begin with. In these situations, a doctor or dentist may prescribe a regular, preventive dose of an antifungal drug to keep the infection from returning. You can take additional steps to make your oral yeast infection treatment more effective and reduce the risk of yeast infection symptoms coming back or getting worse.

Preventing thrush isn't about brushing more often or better dental hygiene (although that's always a good idea); it's about reducing the amount of fungus in your mouth to a healthy level. Don't eat any processed or refined carbohydrates. Avoid foods that contain white flour or sugar.

Skip dried fruit, milk, and any foods that contain molds or yeast. Kill fungi on your toothbrush after each use by soaking it in alcohol (70 percent) or hydrogen peroxide for several minutes. The best thing you can do to help prevent thrush is to boost the strength of your immune system so that your body can properly defend against infection.

That means eating healthy foods, exercising regularly, and getting adequate sleep. If you suspect that those sores in your mouth may be thrush, see your doctor.