Thrush: What Happens

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What Happens

Most cases of thrush are mild and clear up with the use of an antifungal mouth rinse or lozenges. Very mild cases of thrush may clear up without medical treatment. It usually takes about 14 days of treatment with an oral antifungal medicine to cure more severe thrush infections. In some cases, thrush may last several weeks even with treatment.

If thrush goes untreated and does not go away by itself, it can spread to other parts of the body.

• Thrush can spread to the throat (esophagus), the vagina, or the skin. It rarely spreads to other organs of the body.
• Infants can develop a diaper rash because the yeast that causes thrush is in the infant's stool.

Thrush is more likely to recur in:

• People who use inhaled corticosteroids to treat asthma.
• People who take antibiotic medicines for a long time.
• People who have false teeth.
• People who have a weakened immune system.
• Children who put objects contaminated with the thrush-causing yeast into their mouths.

Complications

Complications related to thrush are rare in healthy people but may include:

• Poor nutrition for infants who have trouble eating because of thrush.
• Infection of the throat.

Last updated:	March 10, 2008
Author:	Maria G. Essig, MS, ELS
Reviewed By:	Michael J. Sexton, MD - Pediatrics, Thomas Emmett Francoeur, MDCM, CSPQ, FRCPC - Pediatrics
Editors:	Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA, Pat Truman, MATC