Most parents are familiar with oral thrush, either through their first-hand experience or someone else’s, due to the fact that it is a condition that commonly occurs in babies and younger children. Thrush is not, however, merely a commonplace childhood condition. It can also be indicative of underlying health problems in grown-ups. 

Listed below are a few important things about the causes and symptoms of oral thrush that you should be aware of.

What is Oral Thrush?

Oral thrush is a form of yeast infection that develops inside a person’s mouth and is caused by the growth of a certain type of fungus known as Candida albicans. Candida albicans is usually referred to as thrush, but you might also hear it called oral candidiasis or oropharyngeal candidiasis.

What Causes Oral Thrush?

Thrush typically is not a health issue in an otherwise perfectly healthy human body that has a strong immune system, because it will be able to combat the bacteria that cause the invasive fungus. If your immune system is unable to eliminate the bacteria, however, the fungus will quickly multiply and soon grow into a rather widespread infection.

What are the Symptoms of Oral Thrush?

You might not immediately notice oral thrush in its beginning stages. It takes time to fully develop, but eventually, you will see a variety of distinct symptoms.

• White spots show up on your tongue and inside of your mouth, including along your inner cheeks and on your gums. 
• Elevated bumps that suddenly show up on the inside of your mouth.
• Pain, typically a burning sensation or soreness, might make it hard to talk and eat. 
• You might notice some bleeding if you scrape or rub the bumps.
• Red, cracked skin starts forming at the corners of your mouth.
• Inability to taste.
• Denture wearers might notice pain, irritation, and/or redness.  

For mothers who are breastfeeding, it is important to recognize the symptoms of oral thrush in their newborns. Your baby could develop those painful white bumps and have a hard time latching. Oral thrush can also be passed from an infected newborn to its mother during breastfeeding.

San Diego Area Dentistry

At McBride Dental, we want to help you and your family do everything possible to have and preserve healthy teeth and gums. By scheduling regular appointments with your California family dentist and practicing the oral care techniques we teach you, your whole family will easily maintain teeth that are healthy, strong, and effective.

The San Marcos offices of Dr. Michael McBride are staffed with reputable, professional San Diego dentists that are ready to address any concerns you may have regarding common dental procedures, as well as preventative, cosmetic, or restorative dentistry. 

It is our job to help you and your family establish healthy dental habits to make sure that your teeth will always be there when you need them and your smile will always look great. So please call us today at (760) 471-1003 to see how we can help with your dental neeeds.