The human body has millions of tiny little microscopic organisms and bacteria in it normally. There are a combination of both "good" and bad" bacteria, and in a healthy human,the good bacteria helps with a host of bodily functions such as digestion, and they help to keep the "bad" bacteria from creating serious health problems.

One group of microscopic, yeast-like fungus that lives in the human body is known as Candida, or Monilia. A specific organism in this group known as either Monilia albicans, or Candida albicans, can cause a condition called Candidiasis,a yeast infection.

Yeast infections are fairly common for many people, and they tend to occur in parts of the body which are warm and moist: Under the arms or breasts, in or around the mouth, in the vagina of women, as toenail or fingernail fungus, and in the form of diaper rash on babies.

Oral yeast infections, also called thrush, are most common in infants and the elderly, but they can also occur frequently in anyone who suffers from a severe disease such as HIV or diabetes.

Yeast infections of all kinds are generally caused by an upset in the balance of the body.When the body's immune system is not working properly, it is unable to balance the level of good and bad bacteria, thus the bad bacteria such as Candida can get the upper hand.

Severe or chronic diseases such as those mentioned above can cause this imbalance, but there are several other things that can cause oral yeast infection problems as well. One of the most prevalent in today's society is the use of antibiotic prescription medications.

Antibiotics kill all bacteria in the human body - both good and bad. This makes your body more vunerable to the development of multiple health problems such as oral yeast infections, because there are no good bacteria left alive to counteract the activities of the bad bacteria.

Many other types of medication can cause the same problems too. Medications which are designed to suppress the immune system for instance, birth control pills which upset the hormone balance in a woman's body, and prescriptions which cause reduce saliva production in

your mouth can all contribute to chronic oral yeast infections.

Many people believe that oral thrush on a baby or toddler is caused by improper hygiene. Technically that is incorrect however. Dirt alone will not usually cause thrush, but if there are any small abrasions, cuts or scrapes which will allow the Candida to get in andcreate an infection, then that will cause the development of the yeast infection.

Oral thrush can also be transmitted through baby bottles or toothbrushes. So if a baby has had an oral yeast infection in the past, then uses a bottle nipple that was not sterilized well enough, the infection can start all over again. One of the reasons oral thrush is so common in small children is because they tend to put everything in their mouths. If one child has thrush and puts a toy in their mouth, another child can come along later and pick up the infection just by putting that same toy in their mouth before it was sterilized.

Some doctors recommend throwing out bottle nipples when an oral yeast infection is cleared up in children, because cleaning the nipples well enough to prevent reinfection is difficult to do. Others recommend boiling the nipples fully immersed for full sterilization, but realize this could make the nipple weak and cause a safety hazard for small children.

Note: Some statements in this article may not be approved by the FDA, and should not be considered as professional medical advice.