Both are common and can create a thick, white coating on the tongue that looks like cottage cheese. In healthy infants, neither is serious, though thrush can cause some irritation.
This article looks at the causes of awhite tonguein babies.
Verywell / Jiaqi Zhou
Oral Thrush
Oral thrush can affect anyone. It’s most common, though, in very young babies between 1 month and 9 months of age.Studies have found it affects up to 37% of infants in the first month of life. It occurs equally in females and males and those born vaginally or through cesarean section.
Oral thrush occurs in both breastfed and bottle-fed babies. It usually appears on the parts of the mouth involved with sucking. This includes:
Causes
Babies can also develop oral thrush if they are born vaginally to a mom with anactive yeast infection. Babies givenantibioticsor steroids can also develop oral thrush. This is because these medicines can kill both disease-causing bacteria and some of the good bacteria that keep yeast in check.
Symptoms
Oral thrush usually appears as creamy, white, slightly raised bumps. It can appear in these areas:
When these bumps merge, they look like a white or sometimes yellowish coating in the mouth.
Thrush can’t be scraped or wiped away and may bleed slightly if you try.
Treatment
Preventing Spread of Thrush
Oral thrush is highly contagious. Take these measures to prevent spread:
Similar Conditions
Other oral conditions like Epstein pearls are also common in babies. These are tiny, harmless cysts that are usually white or yellow. They usually appear on the gums or roof of the mouth and not the tongue.
Milk Residue (Milk Tongue)
After washing and drying your hands, dampen a clean piece of gauze with lukewarm water. Wrap it around your finger and gently wipe your child’s tongue. If the residue comes off easily, your child likely has milk tongue and not thrush.
What Is a Teething Rash?
Summary
A Word From Verywell
Good bottle and breast hygiene can prevent thrush from coming back. Wash bottles and nipples in the dishwasher. If you don’t have a dishwasher, some experts advise boiling. Others say warm, soapy water will work just as well.
If your breasts are red, sore, or your nipples are cracked, it could be a sign of yeast infection. Call your doctor for guidance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Learn MoreHow Thrush Is Diagnosed
Learn MoreGood Oral Hygiene
Learn MoreWhat You Should Know About Vaginal Yeast Infections
7 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Clair-Brown TT, Schwerer KE, Dogbey GY.Neonatal thrush is not associated with mode of delivery.J Am Board Fam Med.2018;31(4),537-541. doi:10.3122/jabfm.2018.04.170426Nemours.Oral thrush.Seattle Children’s.Thrush.Collares EF, Fernandes MIM.The ontogeny of saliva secretion in infants and esophagoprotection.Arq Gastroenterol.2015;52(2),156-160. doi:10.1590/S0004-28032015000200016Sachdeva S, Sabir H.Oral Thrush in an Infant: A Case Report with Treatment Modalities.Neonatal and Pediatric Medicine. 2016;1:2. doi:10.4172/pdc.1000107Center for Disease Control and Prevention.Children’s Oral Health.American Academy of Family Physicians.Thrush.Additional ReadingKaiser Permanente.Newborn rashes and skin conditions.Mount Sinai.Thrush in newborns.Nationwide Children’s.Dental: teeth and gum care for infants and toddlers.
7 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Clair-Brown TT, Schwerer KE, Dogbey GY.Neonatal thrush is not associated with mode of delivery.J Am Board Fam Med.2018;31(4),537-541. doi:10.3122/jabfm.2018.04.170426Nemours.Oral thrush.Seattle Children’s.Thrush.Collares EF, Fernandes MIM.The ontogeny of saliva secretion in infants and esophagoprotection.Arq Gastroenterol.2015;52(2),156-160. doi:10.1590/S0004-28032015000200016Sachdeva S, Sabir H.Oral Thrush in an Infant: A Case Report with Treatment Modalities.Neonatal and Pediatric Medicine. 2016;1:2. doi:10.4172/pdc.1000107Center for Disease Control and Prevention.Children’s Oral Health.American Academy of Family Physicians.Thrush.Additional ReadingKaiser Permanente.Newborn rashes and skin conditions.Mount Sinai.Thrush in newborns.Nationwide Children’s.Dental: teeth and gum care for infants and toddlers.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Clair-Brown TT, Schwerer KE, Dogbey GY.Neonatal thrush is not associated with mode of delivery.J Am Board Fam Med.2018;31(4),537-541. doi:10.3122/jabfm.2018.04.170426Nemours.Oral thrush.Seattle Children’s.Thrush.Collares EF, Fernandes MIM.The ontogeny of saliva secretion in infants and esophagoprotection.Arq Gastroenterol.2015;52(2),156-160. doi:10.1590/S0004-28032015000200016Sachdeva S, Sabir H.Oral Thrush in an Infant: A Case Report with Treatment Modalities.Neonatal and Pediatric Medicine. 2016;1:2. doi:10.4172/pdc.1000107Center for Disease Control and Prevention.Children’s Oral Health.American Academy of Family Physicians.Thrush.
Clair-Brown TT, Schwerer KE, Dogbey GY.Neonatal thrush is not associated with mode of delivery.J Am Board Fam Med.2018;31(4),537-541. doi:10.3122/jabfm.2018.04.170426
Nemours.Oral thrush.
Seattle Children’s.Thrush.
Collares EF, Fernandes MIM.The ontogeny of saliva secretion in infants and esophagoprotection.Arq Gastroenterol.2015;52(2),156-160. doi:10.1590/S0004-28032015000200016
Sachdeva S, Sabir H.Oral Thrush in an Infant: A Case Report with Treatment Modalities.Neonatal and Pediatric Medicine. 2016;1:2. doi:10.4172/pdc.1000107
Center for Disease Control and Prevention.Children’s Oral Health.
American Academy of Family Physicians.Thrush.
Kaiser Permanente.Newborn rashes and skin conditions.Mount Sinai.Thrush in newborns.Nationwide Children’s.Dental: teeth and gum care for infants and toddlers.
Kaiser Permanente.Newborn rashes and skin conditions.
Mount Sinai.Thrush in newborns.
Nationwide Children’s.Dental: teeth and gum care for infants and toddlers.
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