Oral Thrush: Causes, Treatments, and What You Need to Know

When you have a white, patchy coating on your tongue or inside your cheeks that won’t brush off, it’s often oral thrush, a fungal infection caused by an overgrowth of Candida yeast in the mouth. Also known as candidiasis, it’s not just a nuisance—it can make eating, swallowing, and even speaking painful.

Oral thrush happens when the natural balance of microbes in your mouth gets thrown off. This can come from antibiotics, inhaled steroids for asthma or COPD, dry mouth, diabetes, or a weakened immune system. Babies and older adults are more likely to get it, but healthy adults can too—especially if they wear dentures or use certain inhalers without rinsing afterward. It’s not contagious like a cold, but it can spread from one part of your body to another, like from your mouth to your throat or even your esophagus if left untreated.

The good news? It’s treatable. Most cases clear up with a simple antifungal mouth rinse or lozenge, like nystatin or clotrimazole. For stubborn cases, a short course of oral fluconazole works fast. But if you keep getting it back, that’s a sign something deeper is going on—maybe undiagnosed diabetes, an immune issue, or even a reaction to your medication. That’s why knowing the triggers matters more than just treating the patches.

You’ll find real stories here from people who’ve dealt with recurring thrush, tips on how to clean dentures properly, what foods to avoid when your mouth is sore, and how to tell if it’s thrush or something else like lichen planus or geographic tongue. Some posts dive into how inhaled steroids can cause thrush even when you think you’re doing everything right, and others explain why some people respond better to one antifungal than another. There’s also advice on when to see a doctor instead of trying OTC remedies—because what looks like thrush sometimes isn’t.

Whether you’re dealing with your first case or you’ve had it five times this year, this collection gives you the facts without the fluff. No hype. No guesswork. Just clear, practical info to help you get relief—and keep it from coming back.