How Can I Prevent Oral Thrush?

Do you rinse your mouth after a meal?

Do you brush your teeth twice a day with a paste that contains fluoride?

Do you floss once a day?

Do you brush your gums, tongue and inside of your mouth with a soft brush twice a day if you wear dentures, have only a few or no natural teeth?

Do you visit your dentist regularly for checkups?

Do you visit your dentist if your dentures do not fit you properly?

If you wear a denture, do you remove it every night and clean it regularly, for example with a toothbrush and a special cleaning solution?

If you are a smoker, do you quit smoking?

If you are taking inhaled corticosteroid medications for asthma, do you rinse your mouth with water and flush it out after using the inhaler?

Do you drink enough fluids (six or eight glasses of water or other fluid every day)?

If you have an underlying condition such as diabetes, hypothyroidism, iron deficiency, or vitamin B12 deficiency, are you sure you control it well?

Based on your answers, there are several other ways that can help you prevent oral thrush. You can try rinsing your mouth after a meal with antiseptic mouthwash. It would be helpful to brush your teeth at least twice a day and floss to clean the spaces between your teeth from food deposits. You should drink enough fluids because people with dry mouth are prone to oral thrush. You need to visit your dentist regularly. If you wear dentures, remove them every night and clean them regularly (clean them with paste or soap and water (using a toothbrush) before soaking in a special cleaning solution).

Based on your answers, you know a lot about how to prevent oral thrush. If you wear dentures, visit a dentist if they do not fit you properly. You can brush your tongue and gums with a soft brush twice a day. People who use inhaled corticosteroid medications for asthma should rinse their mouth with water and spit it out after using the inhaler. If you smoke, try to stop, because cigarette smoking is associated with excessive growth of fungi in the mouth. People with diabetes, iron deficiency, vitamin B12 deficiency or hypothyroidism have a high risk of oral thrush, so they must keep their condition under control.