We all have yeast in our bodies. Thrush occurs when the yeast in the body increases due to imbalance in the digestive tract. An imbalance can be caused by hormonal changes, medications like antibiotics, infection, stress or digestive issues such as constipation and/or diarrhea.
Thrush presents as white spots on a child’s mouth. Thrush can look like cottage cheese on the sides, roof, and sometimes the your baby’s tongue. Thrush is most commonly found in infants under 2 months of age. A white coating on a baby’s tongue is often caused by milk residue. Thrush is usually found on the tongue as well but is more frequently found on the sides of the mouth. This causes baby’s mouth to be very sore when they try to latch on the breast, a bottle or a pacifier. If you think your baby has thrush, look for the white patches and gently touch a patch with a finger covered by a piece of gauze. It probably won’t come off very easily, but will have a raw, red area underneath that may bleed.
If your baby has thrush, consult your health care provider. Read about the importance of probiotics in balancing yeast in the digestive tract in the probiotic section.