Candidiasis is a yeast infection that can develop in the mouth or vagina. It is caused by the excessive proliferation of the Candida fungus, naturally present in the body. To avoid this type of infection in adults and children, focus on personal hygiene and preventive actions. By minimizing the risk factors and keeping the places where the infection can occur clean, dry and well ventilated, you can greatly reduce the chances of contracting candidiasis.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Preventing Oral Candidiasis in Adults
Step 1. Brush your teeth and floss
To keep your teeth healthy and protect them from infection, you should brush them twice a day and floss once. Wash them when you get up in the morning and before bedtime to keep your mouth healthy and free from infections.
Brushing your teeth and flossing reduces the risk of various mouth infections, including gingivitis. If your immune system has to fight against other infections, it will have a harder time fighting candidiasis
Step 2. Keep your dentures clean
You should wash it every day to remove food debris that can promote fungal growth. You should also remove and soak your dentures every night to reduce the risk of fungal overgrowth.
Try to remove your dentures at least a couple of evenings a week when you are at home and you don't need them, as well as take them off when you sleep. This allows you to keep your mouth and dentures cleaner, thereby minimizing the chances of getting candidiasis
Step 3. Replace your toothbrush every three to four months
To keep your mouth clean and minimize the number of fungi, you should replace your toothbrush regularly. Dentists generally recommend doing this every three to four months. This minimizes the risk that Candida can proliferate in your toothbrush and infect your mouth.
- Replace the toothbrush if the bristles are deformed and worn.
- Fungi do not survive outside the body for very long, but taking preventive measures is better than risking an infection.
Step 4. Get regular dental cleaning
A couple of dental cleaning sessions per year can reduce the risk of contracting candidiasis. If you can't afford regular visits to the dentist, take advantage of dental schools or days when free visits are offered.
- Regularly undergoing professional dental cleaning helps minimize the risk of infections and allows you to remove all food residues that you can't reach with brushing and flossing. Your dentist will also be able to recognize the symptoms of an ongoing infection during the visit.
- Dental cleaning is especially important if you wear dentures or if you have diabetes, as they are two risk factors for candidiasis.
- If you plan to go to a dental school for a free cleaning, make an appointment well in advance, as the wait can be long.
Step 5. Rinse your mouth if you are using a corticosteroid inhaler
Using an asthma inhaler can increase your chances of getting candidiasis. To minimize the risk, rinse your mouth with water after using it. This way you will get rid of all the remnants of the drug.
Step 6. Treat diseases that can cause candidiasis
There are some conditions, which if left untreated, can increase the likelihood of contracting oral candidiasis, especially uncontrolled diabetes. In addition, conditions that inhibit the immune system, such as AIDS or cancer, can also increase the risk of candidiasis by preventing your body from fighting the infection.
- Uncontrolled diabetes can increase the amount of sugar in your saliva, thereby creating an environment more conducive to fungal growth. If you manage diabetes with insulin and a controlled diet, your sugar levels and risk of candidiasis will be minimized.
- Immunosuppression can limit saliva production and eliminate beneficial bacteria from the mouth and especially the vaginal area.
- Chronic dry mouth can also promote candidiasis, because the lack of saliva allows the fungus to proliferate. Get your mouth problem treated to minimize the risk of infection.
- Alcoholism, which is a disease, can also increase the risk. Consult your doctor about alcohol consumption and the changes you should make.
Step 7. Watch out for treatments that increase your risk of getting candidiasis
Talk to your doctor about the risk of getting this infection and ways to minimize it while undergoing treatments. It may be possible to change your drug therapy or give you other medicines that prevent fungal infection.
- For example, treatments for HIV and AIDS can suppress the immune system, increasing the likelihood of contracting candidiasis.
- Cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy and radiation therapy, can also promote the development of candidiasis.
Method 2 of 3: Avoiding Candidiasis in Infants
Step 1. Clean and sterilize your baby's bottles and pacifiers
To prevent candidiasis in infants, you should wash and sterilize baby bottles as well as pacifiers in warm soapy water or in the dishwasher. You should do this every time after using them.
- The fungus can grow on all parts of the bottle, so be sure to wash and sterilize the bottle, teat and all other parts. Since the teat offers a warm and humid environment that is difficult to clean, it requires special attention; you can boil it or replace it often. If your baby has a tendency to get candidiasis and you bottle feed him, consider cleaning and sterilizing the bottle more frequently.
- It is also a good idea to wash and sterilize toys that your baby chews, such as teething toys.
Step 2. If possible, breastfeed your baby
Breastfeeding exposes the infant to a lower risk of candidiasis than bottle feeding. This is because the fungus is less likely to grow on your nipple than on the bottle. Bottles can easily pass the fungus on to your child if they are not cleaned well.
If you can't breastfeed, it doesn't mean your baby will definitely get candidiasis, just that you need to clean his bottle thoroughly
Step 3. Store the milk properly
Yeast can develop in breast milk or formula if they are not stored properly. To prevent this, make sure you keep bottles in the fridge when you're not using them.
- Breast milk can be kept at room temperature for 6-8 hours before being used. If it takes longer, store it in the refrigerator or freezer. You can usually keep the milk in the fridge for 5 days and in the freezer for 6 months.
- You can keep a bottle of infant formula in the fridge following the manufacturer's directions. However, if you are using this solution to feed your baby, it is best to prepare the bottle when needed.
Step 4. Treat nipple infections
If your nipples become red and sore, they could be infected with a fungus, or it could be a symptom of simple mastitis. See your doctor for treatment so you don't pass the infection on to your baby when you breastfeed him.
- Some of the symptoms you may experience if you have thrush on the nipples include itching, burning, flaking, and cracking of the nipple skin. You may also notice redness, small blisters, stabbing pains during or after breastfeeding, and deep chest pains that don't go away.
- Treatment usually involves applying antifungal ointment to the nipples.
Step 5. Treat vaginal candidiasis if you are pregnant
If you have this disease at the time of delivery, you can pass it on to your baby. Treat it before the end of the pregnancy to reduce the likelihood of your baby getting it.
- Watch out for symptoms of vaginal candidiasis. These include abnormal white and cottage cheese-like vaginal discharge, swelling of the genital area, burning or itching of the genital area, pain and discomfort when urinating or having sex.
- Vaginal candidiasis secretions shouldn't smell bad, so ask your doctor what other causes might be if your secretions stink.
- Vaginal candidiasis is usually treated with over-the-counter or prescription antifungal medications. However, if you are pregnant you should discuss the disease and treatment with your doctor before starting treatment.
Method 3 of 3: Minimize the Risk of Vaginal Candidiasis
Step 1. Keep the vaginal area clean
The best way to prevent vaginal candidiasis is to regularly take care of the hygiene of that area of the body. Wash it once a day while showering or bathing to keep it clean, but not dry or irritate it.
Step 2. Avoid using potential irritants
Using irritating products in the vaginal area can cause inflammation of the skin, which becomes more vulnerable to infection. For example, products that contain a lot of scents, such as moisturizers or cleansers with strong fragrances, can irritate that area.
- Do not use soaps, bubble baths or deodorants with strong fragrances on the vaginal area.
- You should also avoid using latex products if you are sensitive to that material.
Step 3. Wear underwear made from natural, breathable fabrics
To keep your vaginal area healthy, it's a good idea to wear breathable underwear and make sure it's not too tight. This allows the air to circulate and consequently to minimize the proliferation of fungi.
- Cotton or silk underwear is the best choice.
- There are special underpants designed for eczema sufferers that can be helpful in preventing candidiasis. You can find them on the internet.
- You can also not wear underwear when you are at home, although you should use a towel or blanket to cover the area where you sit.
Step 4. Ask your doctor whether to eat probiotics and yogurt
Many people use probiotic supplements and the live lactic ferments of yogurt as preventative measures against candidiasis. As medical research is still investigating the effectiveness of these supplements, ask your doctor if they are right for you.
- Always ask your doctor for advice regarding the use of probiotics and yogurt when taking antibiotics.
- L. acidophilus is the probiotic supplement used most often to prevent candidiasis. It is usually available in drugstores and on the internet.
- If you eat yogurt to minimize the risk of candidiasis, be sure to choose products that contain live lactic ferments. This ensures that they have the beneficial bacteria you are looking for.
Step 5. Look for any risk factors for vaginal candidiasis
There are some conditions that increase the risk of getting this disease. If you have one or more of these factors, you should be especially careful in cleaning and caring for the vaginal area. These include:
- Previous yeast infections
- Period
- Pregnancy
- Impaired immune system
- Uncontrolled diabetes
- Antibiotic therapy
- Sexual intercourse with poor lubrication
Advice
- Candidiasis often produces white, cottage cheese-like secretions that don't go away.
- If you have thrush often, your doctor can prescribe an antifungal that can treat it.
