Disorders of the oral mucosa can be difficult to diagnose and treat. They tend to be chronic and often severely affect an individual’s quality of life. These diseases include oral lichen planus, mucous membrane pemphigoid, mucosal pemphigus vulgaris, and chronic aphthous stomatitis among others. Because they are immune mediated, these conditions require treatments ranging from topical therapies to systemic medications that target the overactive or misguided immune system.

We utilize a comprehensive approach that involves working with a team of physicians including dermatologists, otolaryngologists, and oral pathologists (colleagues from the UNC School of Dentistry) to optimize initial diagnoses as well as long term management of these oral diseases.

Candidiasis is a fungal infection caused by a yeast (a type of fungus) called Candida. Some species of Candida can cause infection in people; the most common is Candida albicans. Candida normally lives on the skin and inside the body, in places such as the mouth, throat, gut, and vagina, without causing any problems. Candida can cause infections if it grows out of control or if it enters deep into the body (for example, the bloodstream or internal organs like the kidney, heart, or brain). Some types of Candida are resistant to the antifungals used to treat them.

Candidiasis that develops in the mouth or throat is called thrush or oropharyngeal candidiasis. Candidiasis in the vagina is commonly referred to as a yeast infection. Invasive candidiasis occurs when Candida species enter the bloodstream or affect internal organs like the kidney, heart, or brain. Click the links below for more information on the different types of Candida infections.

Regards
Sarah
Journal of Mucosal Immunology Research