<![CDATA[Oral thrush is an infection of the mouth caused by fungi from the Candida albicans species. Clinically, oral thrush looks like yellowish-white plaques, which histologically consist of desquamated epithelial cells, immune cells, yeast cells, and hyphae. These plaques can be scraped off, leaving an area of redness. One of the predisposition factors for oral thrush is smoking. Smoking can trigger an imbalance of oral flora due to decreased antibody levels in saliva, weakening saliva’s ability to maintain oral health. A 43-year-old man came in complaining about yellowish-white clumps on his tongue along with a burning sensation in his mouth. The patient also complained of dry mouth. Intraoral examination showed yellowish-white lesions on the dorsal tongue with diffuse borders, the lesions could be scraped off and left an area of redness. A KOH test was done to confirm the diagnosis, and the results showed yeast cells and pseudo hyphae. The treatment for this case involved a combination of pharmacological and non-pharmacological therapy. The pharmacological therapy included nistatin suspension 100,000 IU/mL, 0.12% chlorhexidine digluconate, and multivitamins, while the non-pharmacological therapy involved education to reduce bad habits like smoking and to maintain good oral hygiene.]]>
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