Antibiotics and Candidiasis — MFDS Part 1 MCQ
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Correct answer: D — Broad-spectrum antibiotics
The correct answer is D, broad-spectrum antibiotics. They suppress competing commensal bacterial flora, reducing colonisation resistance and permitting Candida species to proliferate. SDCEP specifically lists broad-spectrum antibiotics as drugs implicated in oral candidiasis. Antihistamines are a plausible distractor because sedating agents can cause xerostomia, which may indirectly increase susceptibility to candidal infection; however, they do not produce the flora-suppressing mechanism specified in the stem. Some antihypertensives can also contribute to dry mouth, but the class is not characteristically associated with antibiotic-related Candida overgrowth. Statins are not a typical cause of oral candidiasis, while NSAIDs are more commonly associated with oral ulceration than candidal overgrowth.
Reference: Scottish Dental Clinical Effectiveness Programme (SDCEP), Management of Acute Dental Problems: Adverse drug reactions and oral side effects—Oral thrush (candidiasis), current webpage checked 2026. https://www.acutedentalproblems.sdcep.org.uk/supporting-tools/adverse-drug-reactions-and-oral-side-effects/