Causes of Mouth Infection

Small amounts of the candida fungus are present in the mouth, digestive tract, and skin of most healthy people and are normally kept in check by other bacteria and microorganisms in the body. However, certain illnesses, stress, or medications can disturb the delicate balance, causing the fungus candida to grow out of control, causing infection.

The two most common forms of the virus are herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) and herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2). HSV-1 is most often associated with infections of the oral cavity, with 90 percent of the US population exposed to this virus. HSV-2 is most often associated with genital herpes infections, with 30 percent of the US population ages 25 to 45 exposed to this virus. However, research suggests that both types of HSV can infect both the mouth and the genitals.

Small amounts of fungus normally exist in your digestive tract and mouth and help your immune system. When, for different reasons, your body and immune system become out of balance, too much fungus can grow. This fungus is called Candida albicans and can grow beyond what the body can manage.