The Symptoms of Oral Thrush

Oral thrush is a reasonably common and mild health condition. It is not a dangerous health issue, but it can be unpleasant and uncomfortable. If left unchecked the condition will become worse and may cause your overall health to deteriorate. By becoming familiar with the symptoms of oral thrush, you can recognize it quickly and seek treatment.

There are a number of symptoms of oral thrush that you can be on the lookout for. One of the tell tale signs that you have a thrush infection in your mouth is a coated tongue, with white or yellowish patches on it. These patches are usually raised and if left will become sore and painful. You can sometimes find the patches in the throat area as well and this may make swallowing uncomfortable. The whitish patches may also appear on the cheeks or present as a rash around the mouth area. In more developed oral thrush, there may even be some bleeding when the patches are scraped. Along with these symptoms you might also experience a low grade fever.

It is common for babies to develop oral thrush since their immune systems are immature and not able to overcome the presence of Candida. Often the lactose in their breast milk or formula can lead to oral thrush. Symptoms that your infant may have this condition include fussing at the breast or bottle, poor feeding and interrupted settling and sleep patterns. If you suspect that your infant could have developed this condition, then you should take them to your doctor or baby nurse to have them confirm the presence of the thrush and suggest an appropriate treatment. If you are breastfeeding and your child develops oral Candida you will have to seek treatment as well so as to prevent a cycle of re-infection from occurring with your child spreading it to your breast, and in turn re-introducing it to your child’s mouth.

If you notice strange white patches inside the mouth or a rash around the outside of the mouth, you should visit your doctor so they can offer you the right treatment. Fortunately, oral thrush can be quickly and easily cured with natural or pharmaceutical medications. By following the advice given by your doctor, you will also be able to prevent it from coming back. Although oral thrush is not a serious health condition in itself, it may itself be a symptom of an underlying health problem, so it should certainly not be ignored.