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.
Look at other causes of a white or sore tongue.
Oral thrush can be easily treated with a mouth gel bought from a pharmacy. The gel is suitable for adults, children and babies over the age of 4 months.
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 have oral thrush and do not see any improvement after 1 week of treatment with a mouth gel
- you have difficulty or pain when swallowing
Oral 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
- having cancer treatment like chemotherapy
There are some things you can do to help prevent oral thrush.