My 3.5 week old baby girl has a few white spots on the insides
of her cheeks and lower lip. Is this “thrush”? The spots don’t
seem to bother her and currently cover less than 5% of the
inside of her mouth. Should I worry? Is there any treatment
necessary, or is this a normal condition that will disappear on
its own? John – Yokohama, Japan Dr. Greene’s Answer: At your
daughter’s age, thrush is the most common reason for spots in
the mouth such as you’ve described. Thrush, or oral
pseudomembranous candidiasis, is a superficial yeast infection
that is found in about 5% of healthy newborns. Infants usually
acquire the yeast from their mothers during passage through the
birth canal. The yeast is more apt to remain in those infants
who abrade the lining of the mouth with prolonged sucking (such
as babies who sleep with a bottle or pacifier). Visible thrush
begins to develop 7 to 10 days after birth. The use of oral
antibiotics, especially during the first year of life, can lead
to recurrent or persistent thrush. Th