Should I be worried about oral thrush?

For oral thrush or other mouth sores that last more than a week, see your dentist. Oral thrush is a fungal infection. Controlling and treating this problem requires knowing its cause, as there can be several reasons for having this problem. Your dentist can diagnose the cause and offer treatment.

For healthy adults, oral thrush (candidiasis) isn't anything to worry about. It often goes away by itself or once you take  antifungal drugs. In some cases, oral thrush can be sign of an underlying health problem, such as cancer, diabetes, HIV/AIDS, or any other illness or treatment that weakens your immune system. To ease your mind, talk to your doctor if you develop thrush symptoms.

Oral thrush is not usually serious. If left untreated, however, oral thrush can spread into the esophagus and throughout the body, causing a life-threatening systemic infection. If you have diabetes, cancer, anemia, HIV/AIDS, or are pregnant, you may want to take steps to protect yourself from oral thrush, because you are particularly susceptible to contracting the illness and succumbing to complications.