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Oral thrush is usually harmless. It's common in babies and also older people with dentures. It can be treated with antifungal medicine.
Other symptoms in adults are:
Oral thrush in adults is not contagious.
Babies with oral thrush may not want to feed.
Look at other causes of a white or sore tongue.
A GP can prescribe antifungal medicine to treat oral thrush, called nystatin. It comes as a liquid, which you should hold in your mouth for as long as possible before swallowing it.
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:
There are some things you can do to help prevent oral thrush.
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 do not have any teeth
rinse your mouth after eating or taking medicine
go to regular check-ups if you have a long-term condition like diabetes
sterilise dummies regularly
sterilise bottles after each use
do not wear dentures at night
do not keep wearing dentures if they do not fit properly – see your dentist
do not smoke
