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3. Dental Health Slideshow: Habits That Wreck Your Teeth

Medical Author:

John Mersch, MD, FAAP

John Mersch, MD, FAAP

Dr. Mersch received his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California, San Diego, and prior to entering the University Of Southern California School Of Medicine, was a graduate student (attaining PhD candidate status) in Experimental Pathology at USC. He attended internship and residency at Children's Hospital Los Angeles.

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Medical Editor:

Jerry R. Balentine, DO, FACEP

Jerry R. Balentine, DO, FACEP

Dr. Balentine received his undergraduate degree from McDaniel College in Westminster, Maryland. He attended medical school at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine graduating in1983. He completed his internship at St. Joseph's Hospital in Philadelphia and his Emergency Medicine residency at Lincoln Medical and Mental Health Center in the Bronx, where he served as chief resident.

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Since an oral thrush infection generally represents an overgrowth of the yeast Candida albicans that is commonly found in the oral cavity, prevention strategies focus on limiting such overgrowth and limiting repeated re-exposure to Candida. Nursing mothers should avoid damp or wet nursing pads and consider air-drying their nipples if they or their infant develop repeated yeast infections. Similarly, soap and water hygiene for bottle nipples and pacifiers will lessen oral Candida infections. For those needing daily-inhaled corticosteroids for effective asthma control, use of a spacer when using a metered dose inhaler (MDI) and rinsing and spitting out with water following MDI or nebulizer administered corticosteroids is imperative.

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