Thrush (Oral Candida Infection) Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis and Treatment on MedicineNet.com

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Dental Health: Thrush

Thrush is an infection of the mouth caused by the candida fungus, also known as yeast. Candida infection is not limited to the mouth; it can occur in other parts of the body as well, causing diaper rash in infants or vaginal yeast infections in women.

Thrush can affect anyone, though it occurs most often in babies and toddlers, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems.

Featured patient discussions on managing and treating thrush

"A natural way to treat thrush in the early stages is to eat plain yogurt, holding it in your mouth for 30-60 seconds with each bite. Make sure it says, 'active culture' on the label. If you cannot tolerate the sour flavor, put a cup or two in a blender, and add a banana, and a little honey for flavor if necessary. A little ice makes it like a shake. Sip and hold it in your mouth with each drink. I had a camper get this where we didn't have much in the way of medical help, and we did this, plus gave the camper Acidophilus pills. (Pearls is the name we used, they are good as they target the lower intestine, and are tiny so are easy to swallow.) She was clear of the thrush in two days. She was taking two Pearls, four times a day. This helps fight the yeast infection and puts good bacteria into your system so it does not spread to other parts of your body. One other thing we did is to take her off any white sugar and breads, as these feed the yeast."

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Patient Discussions are not a substitute for professional medical advice, or treatment.
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What causes thrush?

Small amounts of the candida fungus are present in the mouth, digestive tract, and skin of most healthy people and are normally kept in check by other bacteria and microorganisms in the body. However, certain illnesses, stress, or medications can disturb the delicate balance, causing the fungus candida to grow out of control, causing infection.

Medications that upset the balance of microorganisms in the mouth and may cause thrush include corticosteroids, antibiotics, and birth control pills. Illnesses or medical situations that make candida infection more likely to develop include uncontrolled diabetes, HIV infection, cancer, dry mouth, or pregnancy (caused by the hormonal changes that occur with pregnancy). People who smoke or wear dentures that don't fit properly also are at increased risk for thrush. In addition, babies can pass the infection to their mothers during breast-feeding.

What are the symptoms of thrush?

Thrush usually develops suddenly, but it may become chronic, persisting over a long period of time. A common sign of thrush is the presence of creamy white, slightly raised lesions in your mouth—usually on your tongue or inner cheeks—but also sometimes on the roof of your mouth, gums, tonsils, or back of your throat. The lesions, which may have a "cottage cheese" appearance, can be painful and may bleed slightly when you scrape them or brush your teeth. In severe cases, the lesions may spread into your esophagus, or swallowing tube, causing:

Pain or difficulty swallowing
A feeling that food gets stuck in the throat or mid-chest area
Fever, if the infection spreads beyond the esophagus

Thrush can spread to other parts of the body, including the lungs, liver, and skin. This happens more often in people with cancer, HIV, or other conditions that weaken the immune system.