For the most part, a white tongue is pretty benign—but sometimes it can signal a bigger oral health issue.
White tongue is the result of an overgrowth and swelling of the fingerlike projections (papillae) on the surface of your tongue. The appearance of a white coating is caused by debris, bacteria and dead cells getting lodged between the enlarged and sometimes inflamed papillae.
The tongue can give many clues about your health. A white tongue is common and usually nothing to worry about. It often gets better with some hydration and good oral hygiene habits. Brush your teeth and tongue twice a day, and try to reduce the sugar in your diet.
White tongue is a coating of debris, bacteria and dead cells on your tongue that makes it look white. Although the appearance of white tongue may be alarming, the condition is usually harmless and temporary.
A healthy (or normal) tongue is pink and covered with small bumps known as papillae. The shade of pink can vary (provided it's not red), and the bumps should cover a good majority of the upper surface. These bumps are also on the underside of a tongue, but maybe less easy to spot.
Colors of an Unhealthy Tongue
Red - A red tongue can be caused by many things, such as inflammation, infection, a blood disease, an underlying heart condition, or vitamin B12 deficiency. Scarlet fever, eczema, and Kawasaki disease may also cause your tongue to turn red.
A white tongue can look alarming, but it's usually just a sign of trapped bacteria, debris (like food and sugar) or dead cells on your tongue. White tongue sometimes happens alongside a different tongue problem called black hairy tongue.
For the most part, your tongue can look white for benign reasons (maybe you're dehydrated or skipped a few brushings), but thicker white patches can also be a sign of infection or, in rare cases, mouth or oral cancer.
When you have a white tongue, then you probably have an overburdened digestive system. An overworked system results in slow digestion and improper function. This leads to a buildup of a bacteria or yeast called candida, and all of this shows on your tongue.
Oral Thrush
Other microorganisms and bacteria keep the fungus from growing out of control. However, illnesses, stress and medications can all cause Candida to reproduce more. The main symptom of oral thrush is white lesions that resemble cottage cheese, found usually on the tongue or inner cheeks.
Coated tongue occurs when the papillae of your tongue are raised or swollen, increasing their surface area and allowing debris to become trapped. You may see that your entire tongue is covered or only patches or sections of it. You may also notice an unpleasant taste in your mouth.
You certainly do. Fluoride toothpaste can clean your tongue just as effectively as cleaning your teeth. There are, however, specialty tongue brushes that exist to allow you to brush your tongue more thoroughly and reach all the way in the back, to boot.
White tongue is a sign that something isn't right with the body. Thankfully, there are natural remedies that help clear up the issue. Probiotics, baking soda, oil pulling, sea salt and oregano oil are just some of the easy and natural treatments for white tongue.
People who smoke, chew tobacco, or consume excessive amounts of alcohol are at risk of leukoplakia. In most cases, these white patches are harmless, but in rare cases, leukoplakia turns into oral cancer. See your healthcare provider or dentist if you notice white patches in the mouth that do not go away.
A white tongue can result from a buildup of debris. Common reasons include a dry mouth, tobacco use, and not cleaning the tongue. But, it can sometimes result from inflammation or a fungal infection. White tongue is a term used to describe any area of the tongue that has a grayish-white coating on it.
Oral Tongue Cancer
The lump often looks like an ulcer and is grayish-pink to red. The lump bleeds easily if bitten or touched.
In traditional medicine, purple/blue-ish tongue color indicates blood stasis [30] which is usually associated with stress and is consistent with our findings.