If you’re suffering from Candida then you probably have a whole list of symptoms that you want to clear up. Fatigue, chronic yeast infections, nausea, and joint pain can all be related to Candida overgrowth, but doctors rarely make the mental leap required to look at all these symptoms together.
In many respects these common symptoms are just the tip of the iceberg. Intestinal dysbiosis and Candida can have indirect effects on many of the organs and systems within our bodies. And sometimes the effects of a Candida overgrowth can appear in some quite surprising places.
Today I’m going to look at a recent piece of research which suggests that Candida albicans may even play a role in tooth decay, and those of us suffering from oral thrush may be particularly susceptible.
Candida Can Affect The Hardness Of Your Tooth Enamel
Earlier this year a group of Brazilian researchers conducted a study to determine the effect that Candida albicans has on tooth enamel. The research was focused specifically on HIV patients, because immunocompromised individuals like HIV patients tend to have a very high incidence of oral thrush. The researchers believed they could show that this might be causing unusual amounts of tooth decay.
The study took three pieces of healthy enamel and placed them in different conditions. Two pieces were left in Petri dishes with a yeast suspension containing Candida albicans (one sample from the oral mucosa and one sample from a dental cavity). Another piece of enamel was left alone with no yeast at all.
The researchers found that the 2 pieces of enamel left with Candida albicans saw a “significant decrease in microhardness over time”, with the first notable decreases occurring within 3-5 days. By comparison, the third sample (with no Candida) was found to be almost unchanged at the end of the study.
In another study, the same team “observed a significant correlation between the number of carious teeth and Candida colony-forming unit values in 62 HIV-infected children”. Taken together, the two studies suggest a clear link between the presence of oral thrush in immunocompromised patients, and the prevalence of dental cavities in those same patients.
Treating Oral Thrush
Although this study was done in laboratory conditions, it clearly shows how Candida albicans can contribute to the erosion of your tooth enamel. It really emphasizes the fact that oral thrush should be treated and should not be left alone.
How do you know if you are suffering from oral thrush? A white tongue is the first symptom to look for. You may also experience white lesions on your tongue, the inside of your cheeks and the roof of your mouth. Sometimes these may bleed when scraped, and they can occasionally be quite painful. The corners of your mouth may be red, cracked and inflamed, and you may also find that food is tasting more bland than usual.
Oral thrush is often just one of many symptoms associated with a Candida overgrowth. Home treatments like oil pulling can provide short term relief, but the best way to rid yourself of oral thrush for good is to tackle the underlying condition that it causing it. If you can beat your Candida overgrowth and restore a healthy balance to your gut flora, you should find that your chronic oral thrush will disappear.
A proper Candida diet and treatment plan, like the one found on this site and in my Ultimate Candida Diet recovery plan, should attack a Candida overgrowth from several different angles. The fastest way to say goodbye to your Candida is by using the right combination of antifungals, probiotics, and diet. If you beat your Candida, you will be doing your teeth a favor too!
Beat your candida in 60 days with this detailed 5-step program
If you're looking for a more comprehensive Candida treatment plan, check out the Ultimate Candida Diet program, written by Lisa Richards and Dr Eric Wood. This plan is based on the latest research into Candida Related Complex, and contains everything you need to know to beat your Candida overgrowth.