Health Framework

Thrush is basically an oral condition characterized by the presence of a white rash inside your mouth. This infection is caused by candida fungus which is also called yeast.

People belonging to every age group can have this infection but the ones more vulnerable to it include babies, toddlers, aged people, and people with weaker immune systems.

What causes thrush?

Mouth, digestive tract and skin are the areas where candida fungus is usually present in small amount. This small presence is normal; and it is controlled by other types of bacteria in the area. However, certain illnesses or medications can cause disturbance in this balance, leading to the overgrowth of candida fungus. This overgrown fungus is called thrush.

The number one reason for thrush is stress. But there are certain other conditions too that can cause this problem. Those conditions include uncontrolled diabetes, HIV infection, and cancer.

Thrush also tends to develop when you have ill-fitting dentures/dental bridges or you are a smoker. This infection can be passed from babies to mothers during breastfeeding.

Symptoms

Even a slightly raised area in the oral cavity might be a case of thrush. In most of the cases, they are developed on the tongue or inner side of the cheeks. Other areas where thrush can develop include roof of the mouth, gums, tonsils, and back of the throat. This white infection in the oral cavity looks pretty similar to cottage cheese. You might feel pain in the affected areas and there may be bleeding if you scrape them. The worst case scenario involves spreading of this infection into the esophagus, turning things very painful for the patient.

It is not just the oral cavity where this fungus can develop and grow. It can develop and spread in the body parts such as lungs, liver, and skin. Development of thrush in such body parts is usually due to serious health conditions which can be life-threatening.

Getting the thrush infection diagnosed

While you can look at the symptoms and make a guess, your dentist is the right person to tell you if the problem you have is really a case of thrush. The dentist may send a tiny sample of the area to the lab for confirmation.

The doctor or dentist may have to recommend other ways of diagnosis if the fungus has spread into the esophagus. The diagnostic measures in this scenario may include:

A throat culture
Endoscopy of the lungs
X-rays test of the esophagus

Treatment

Healthy children and adults can get the problem treated fairly easily. However, people with weaker immune system will have to undergo advanced forms of treatment because their bodies’ natural ability to fight off the infection is not up the mark. Use of antifungal medications is the ideal treatment in this regard.

Role of dental bridges is exactly the one which is being represented by their name; i.e. they bridge the gap between the teeth. The gap that has to be covered in this regard is basically a result of missing tooth or teeth. A typical bridge consists of two or more dental crowns that have to sit on the anchoring teeth at either side of the gap. Those anchor teeth are known as abutment teeth. The gap is covered with a false tooth or teeth. This false tooth is known as pontic tooth.

Benefits of dental bridges

Dental bridges offer the following benefits:

Immediate restoration of your smile after tooth loss
Restoration of your ability to speak and eat properly
Maintaining the shape of your face
Proper distribution of the pressure across all of the teeth without getting part of the bite getting exposed to unusual pressure
Prevention of drifting of other teeth around the gap

Types of dental bridges

There are three main types of dental bridges

First type is of the traditional dental bridges. A traditional bridge is suitable when there are two teeth, which can be used as abutments, at the either side of the missing tooth. It’s the most common type of dental bridges.
Cantilever bridges belong to the second type of dental bridges. This bridge is ideal when adjacent teeth are present only on one side of the missing tooth.
Maryland bonded bridges consist of a prosthetic tooth which has two metal wings that are attached to the back of the teeth on either side of the missing tooth.

The process of getting a dental bridge

The process of dental bridge attachment is usually covered in two dental visits. During first dental visit, enamel on the teeth surrounding the missing tooth is etched to a little extent to make room for the crowns to be adjusted. Then an impression of the teeth is taken. This impression is sent to the lab where the bridge is prepared. A temporary bridge is attached to the teeth to support jaw’s functionality until the bridge is prepared.

During next dental visit, the temporary bridge is removed and new customized dental bridge is placed. The dentist may have to make minor adjustments to ensure proper fit. You may be required to pay a few more dental visits to get the fitting of the bridge properly checked.

How long do the bridges last?

A dental bridge is made to remain ideally functional for 15 years, or even longer if you take good care of your oral hygiene. The average lifespan of a dental bridge is more than 10 years.

Here, you have to make sure that you are taking good care of your teeth in general and dental bridge in specific. Brushing with a soft-bristled toothbrush is really important. You need to be on the top of your oral hygiene by flossing and use of a high quality mouthwash. Moreover, make sure that you visit your dentist after every 6 months.