When it comes to health, basic general awareness is a must. It is rightly said that prevention is better than cure and hence one must be aware of very common diseases or disorders which may lead to severe complications in the future.

Yeast infection is one such condition and it is very necessary for everyone to know what it is whether you have suffered from it or not. For those who are not aware of what it is, it is time you gather as much information as possible.

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.

The rationale behind this occurrence is for the very fact that yeast Candida thrives well in wet and warm environment such as the woman vagina and thus sweating encourage this drastic multiplication of yeast fungi.

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.

This fungus grows in moist areas of the body. Hence mouth and genital areas, the vagina (known as vulvovaginal candidiasis) or other parts of the skin can be infected with it. While there can be various reasons for the growth of this fungus and its treatment is provided depending on the cause.

There are some people who misunderstand the yeast infection as some sexually transmitted disease when it occurs in the vagina, but that is a myth. A lot of warmth is also one of the reasons for it.

This is why the genital areas or vagina is more prone to it as they are not exposed to a lot of fresh air through the day. However not everyone suffers from it.

Many people believe that oral thrush on a baby or toddler is caused by improper hygiene. Technically that is incorrect however.

If your doctor says you have diabetes, then try as much as possible to follow his recommended practice to reduce the blood sugars. Other diseases that are prominent causes of yeast infection include cancer and HIV aids 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.

If you observe white lace patches in your mouth or tongue, you must visit the doctor as this infection can also lead to fever or other conditions. Armpits are also one more area where this infection is observed.

It is best to find the yeast infection cure as early as possible because there are severe stages of this too.

If it spreads in the bloodstream and throughout the body, it is known as systemic candidal diseases and may lead to death of the individual too.

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.