Thrushis a fungal infection that occurs inside the mouth, causing painful white patches on the tongue and cheeks.
The fungus that causes thrush is calledcandidaand is commonly found on our skin and in the environment.
Thrush is most likely to affect infants and small children and is rarer in adults.
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It can be a side effect ofcorticosteroid inhalersused forasthmaand other respiratory conditions.
Approximately 3% of people who use inhaled corticosteroids get thrush.
Infants with underdeveloped immune systems are prone to getting thrush while breastfeeding.
Preventing Oral Thrush From an Inhaler
Practicing good oral hygiene is essential to preventing thrush.
It’s important to take these medications exactly as prescribed by your provider for the directed length of time.
This is due to the lack of immune response in chronic health conditions like asthma and COPD.
It can also be due to a lack of proper oral hygiene.
If you do develop thrush, it can be treated with oral or topical medications.
It’s more important to use your inhaler to manage your chronic respiratory condition, as necessary.
Thrush can be more difficult to treat in people who have weakened immune systems.
In most cases, thrush will go away within a couple of weeks.
If so, you still should not stop the medication early.
Inhalers that can increase your risk of getting thrush belong to a class of medications called corticosteroids.
Examples include beclomethasone, budesonide, fluticasone, and mometasone.
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