Oral thrush (mouth thrush)

Oral thrush is usually harmless. It's common in babies and older people with dentures. It can be easily treated with medicines bought from a pharmacy.

Check if it's oral thrush

Adults

Other symptoms in adults are:

• cracks at the corners of the mouth
• not tasting things properly
• an unpleasant taste in the mouth
• pain inside the mouth (for example, a sore tongue or sore gums)
• difficulty eating and drinking

Oral thrush in adults isn't contagious.

Babies

Other symptoms in babies are:

• they don't want to feed
• nappy rash

Babies can pass oral thrush on through breastfeeding. This can cause nipple thrush in mothers.

If you're not sure it's oral thrush

Look at other causes of a white or sore tongue.

A pharmacist can help with oral thrush

Oral thrush can be easily treated with a mouth gel bought from a pharmacy. Treatment usually lasts at least 7 days.

Ask your pharmacist for advice. Always follow the instructions on the medicine packet.

If you leave oral thrush untreated, the infection can spread to other parts of the body.

See a GP if:

• your baby is under 4 months and has signs of oral thrush
• you don't see any improvement after 1 week of treatment with a mouth gel
• you have difficulty or pain swallowing

How you can prevent oral thrush

Thrush is an infection caused by a fungus called Candida. Some things can make the fungus grow more than usual.

You might get thrush if you're:

• taking antibiotics over a long time
• using asthma inhalers
• getting cancer treatment like chemotherapy

There are some things you can do to help prevent oral thrush:

Do

• take care of your teeth: brush twice a day, clean your dentures, and go for regular check-ups even if you have dentures
• brush your gums and tongue with a soft toothbrush if you don't have any teeth
• sterilise dummies regularly
• sterilise bottles after each use
• rinse your mouth after eating or taking medicine
• go to regular check-ups if you have a long-term condition like diabetes

Don't

• wear your dentures at night
• keep wearing dentures if they don't fit properly – see your dentist
• smoke