Dr. Reznik, I had one <and only one> "high Risk" exposure way back in the mid 80's. I'm concerned because from time to time i get white patches along my cheek, they tend to come and go. Could i possibly be looking at thrush here? I do not smoke nor am i on any medications. would thrush that would be directly related to HiV infection sort of come and go on its own or would it need some sort of medication to be cleared up? I nervously await your reply.

Since it has been so long since the potential exposure, I would definitely recommend an HIV test to determine your status. This is not because I believe you are HIV infected, but rather as means of knowing your status and addressing the concerns associated with not knowing.

Thrush (candidiasis) does not normally clear without medication unless the underlying medical condition is addressed. For instance, if the cause of the thrush was due to uncontrolled diabetes, once the diabetes is under control, the thrush should go away.

A note: there are several reasons why a person could develop white patches along the cheek. Please take the time to visit a dentist to determine the nature of this presentation.

DR