Question

Your patient, Mr. Harden is a 45 year old with poorly controlled diabetes who has just completed a 10 day course of antibiotics for a sinus infection. He presents to you, his dental hygienist, complaining of altered taste sensation and mouth discomfort.   Following a clinical inspection, you observe the following curd-like material on the palatal and oropharyngeal surfaces:

1. What organism causes this and what are some other common names? What form of oral candidiasis is this?  

2. What factors in particular predisposed Mr. Harnden to this condition? What other conditions may serve to predispose other patients?

Answer 1

1. The organism that causes oral candidiasis is candida albicans. It belongs to the family of sacchromycetales. The other names include c.albicans, c. Tropicalis, parapsilosis etc.

2. In this particular patient irregular diabetic levels leads to decreased immunity which leads to the development of oral candidiasis. In other patients poor oral hygiene, use of some therapeutic agents like chemotherapy, weekend immune system etc will lead to this condition.