If you are turly well controlled - i.e <=2-3 episodes of symptoms per
week with <= 2 episodes per month at night and having stable PF's then
a dose reduction is in order. This can be acompliched by just taking
the Pulmicort once a day or even once every other day. Sometimes with
steroids "pulse dosing" works - you would do say 2-3 puffs at once
once a day or every other day.

As someone pointed out if the issue is thrush then rinsing your mouth
very well can help - possibly including a salt water gargle. if that
does not work then often using the med less often (like 2 puffs once a
day rather than 1 twice a day) can help or you can switch to an older,
less potent steroid. The idea is that the rinsing takes the amount
down in the throat down to some low level and that that level is not
determined by hopw much is there to start.

Qvar might be a good choice both because the steroid itself is less
potent and because the deposition is different. Switching from
Pulmicort to Flovent HFA may also help due to different deposition.