Ear, Nose & Throat ENT Disorders Thrush Thrush Guide Thrush Guide Symptoms Causes Diagnosis Treatment Signs and Symptoms of Thrush By Cathy Wong facebook twitter Cathy Wong is a nutritionist and wellness expert. Her work is regularly featured in media such as First For Women, Woman's World, and Natural Health. Learn about our editorial process Cathy Wong Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Michael Menna, DO on November 15, 2019 Michael Menna, DO, is board-certified in emergency medicine. He is an attending emergency medicine physician at White Plains Hospital in White Plains, New York and also works at an urgent care center and a telemedicine company that provides care to patients across the country. Learn about our Medical Review Board Michael Menna, DO on November 15, 2019 Print Table of Contents View All Table of Contents Common Symptoms Complications When to See a Doctor Next in Thrush Guide Why Does My Baby Have Thrush? Often difficult to recognize, thrush can have a wide variety of symptoms, including a white coating on the inside of your mouth and throat. While it’s rarely dangerous—and not always painful—thrush can lead to life-threatening infections in other parts of the body if it is left untreated. Therefore, it’s crucial to seek immediate treatment if you notice signs or symptoms of thrush in yourself or your child. © Verywell, 2018 Common Symptoms The medical term for thrush is “oral candidiasis,” which refers to a genus of yeasts called candida. This yeast lives naturally in the mucous membranes lining your mouth and digestive tract but can reproduce rapidly under certain conditions. Typically caused by a species of yeast called candida albicans, thrush may trigger the following signs and symptoms: White coating or patches on the inner cheeks, tongue, roof of mouth, tonsils, and throatRedness or soreness in the mouth and/or throatA cottony feeling in the mouthLoss of tasteA burning sensation on the tonguePain while eating and/or swallowingDifficulty speakingCracking and redness at the corners of the mouth Sometimes described as creamy or velvety, the white coating associated with thrush may have a sore-like appearance. When scraped off with a tongue depressor, this white coating usually reveals red, inflamed spots. These spots often bleed upon scraping, or when you brush your teeth. Thrush often weakens your sense of taste, which can take the enjoyment out of eating and drinking. Even after brushing their teeth and practicing other components of good oral hygiene, people with thrush may still notice an unpleasant cottony sensation in their mouths. In Children In infants, issues such as fussiness and irritability during feeding may be a sign of thrush, although some babies may not feel any discomfort. Oral signs and symptoms of thrush (such as the white coating inside the mouth and throat) are the same for babies, children, and adults alike. Infants may pass this infection off to their mothers during breastfeeding, which can lead to skin symptoms like cracked, red, or sensitive nipples, shiny or flaky skin on or around the nipple, extreme pain during breastfeeding, and painful nipples between feedings. If thrush goes untreated, the infant and mother may continue to pass the infection back and forth to each other in a constantly repeating cycle. Complications For people with certain medical conditions, those with an impaired immune system (such as individuals undergoing cancer treatment or people with HIV/AIDS), and very low-birth-weight infants, prompt treatment is especially important to prevent complications. When thrush is left untreated in someone who may have an increased risk of complications, candida could enter the bloodstream and promote the spread of candida infection to other parts of your body (known as systemic candidiasis). Systemic candidiasis can cause a number of serious and even life-threatening illnesses, such as meningitis (in the brain) and endocarditis (in the heart). Such infections can also affect your esophagus (causing esophagitis), eyes (endophthalmitis), and joints (arthritis). Some infants will develop diaper rash if the yeast gets into the baby's stool. When to See a Doctor Call your doctor if: Your baby or child refuses to eatYou or your child have symptoms of thrush such as the white coating or patches inside the mouthYou are breastfeeding and have cracked or painful nipples (or other symptoms of infection of the breasts)You or your child have thrush symptoms that fail to improve with treatment or if symptoms recurYou or your child develop new or worsening symptoms Thrush Doctor Discussion Guide Get our printable guide for your next doctor's appointment to help you ask the right questions. Download PDF Email the Guide Send to yourself or a loved one. Sign Up This Doctor Discussion Guide has been sent to {{form.email}}. There was an error. Please try again. Since the presence of thrush in healthy adults and in older children or teens generally manifests when a person's immune system is weakened or if you have certain medical conditions, it’s important to consult your physician to determine whether you might need to be evaluated for an underlying health problem. For instance, medical conditions such as diabetes are sometimes associated with thrush. If you aren't sure whether your immune system is impaired and/or you are at greater risk of complications, see your doctor. Many common medications (such as corticosteroids and antibiotics), can lower a person's immune response. Why Does My Baby Have Thrush? Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Sign up for our Health Tip of the Day newsletter, and receive daily tips that will help you live your healthiest life. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit Article Sources Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Cleveland Clinic. Thrush. April 14, 2017. Patil S, Rao RS, Majumdar B, Anil S. Clinical Appearance of Oral Candida Infection and Therapeutic Strategies. Front Microbiol. 2015;6:1391. Published 2015 Dec 17. doi:10.3389/fmicb.2015.01391 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Candida infections of the mouth, throat, and esophagus. Updated April 12, 2019. Bongomin F, Gago S, Oladele RO, Denning DW. Global and Multi-National Prevalence of Fungal Diseases-Estimate Precision. J Fungi (Basel). 2017;3(4):57. Published 2017 Oct 18. doi:10.3390/jof3040057 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Medications that Weaken Your Immune System and Fungal Infections. January 25, 2017. Additional Reading Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Candida infections of the mouth, throat, and esophagus.” August 2017. Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care. “The prevention and treatment of oral thrush.” May 2016. Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care. “Oral thrush (oral candidiasis): Overview.” U.S. National Library of Medicine. “Candidiasis.”