Does a white tongue mean you're sick? Not necessarily. Often, a white tongue means you should focus on your oral hygiene or overall health. For example, it may mean that you need to brush and floss more regularly and steer clear of tobacco and alcohol.
“It could be dead bacteria if you've been fighting off a cold or infection, or mucous if you've been congested,” he says. Both types of debris are fairly harmless, and their accumulation can give your tongue a whitish appearance, he says.
Oral hairy leukoplakia is a type of white tongue that can occur in people who are immunocompromised. It's most common in people with HIV/AIDS or those who've had an organ transplant. It tends to affect the edges of the tongue most. The cause is the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) — the same virus that causes mononucleosis.
White tongue occurs when an overgrowth of bacteria, debris, or dead cells results in the swelling of the papillae on your tongue. Some people are more suspectable to this issue than others. High-risk individuals include those with diabetes, weakened immune systems, older adults, and young children.
Several clinical trials investigated tongue features as the symptoms of COVID-19 and found statistically significant differences between COVID-19 patients and healthy people. Red or light red tongue, yellow coating and greasy coating were common in patients with COVID-19.
Other symptoms include congestion, sore throat with thirst, a white or yellowish tongue coating, and a rapid pulse. According to Chinese Medicine theory acupuncture and Chinese herbs can be prescribed to eliminate Wind-Cold or Wind-Heat and relieve symptoms.
A pink tongue is healthy and normal. A red tongue may indicate heat in the body like a fever or a hormonal imbalance. A reddish purple tongue is a sign that there may be inflammation or an infection in the body. A pale pink tongue may be a sign of a vitamin deficiency, a weak immune system or a lack of energy.
Baking soda scrub
Adding food-grade baking soda to a toothbrush and scrubbing the tongue, teeth, and gums may help reduce the bacteria that cause a white tongue. One study found that a baking soda oral rinse can reduce harmful bacteria that commonly cause infections in the mouth, such as Streptococcus.
Drink plenty of water: Enough water helps keeping your tongue clean and gets rid of extra food particles. Eat crunchy fruits that cleanse the tongue naturally: Apples and guava are good examples of this. Eat raw vegetables: Raw vegetables, such as spinach, tomatoes, lettuce and peppers.
While a white tongue often indicates thrush, it can be a sign of another condition. Several oral conditions have similar symptoms to thrush, causing them to sometimes be mistaken for thrush.
An unhealthy tongue. If your tongue is a different colour than pink, or has large patches of white, brown, black, or another colour, this might indicate a specific health issue. Similarly, if you have large bumps or no bumps at all, you may also want to speak to a doctor.
A white tongue and sore throat may be symptoms of strep throat. White tongue may also be due to bacterial infections, such as syphilis or periodontal disease, or a chronic autoimmune disorder called oral lichen planus.
When someone is dehydrated, the tongue appears dry and typically has a white or white-to-yellowish coating. In some cases, the tongue can appear patchy or splotchy. If your tongue commonly sticks to the roof of your mouth, you are dehydrated!
If you have a cough with a sore throat and white patches on your tongue, you may have a viral infection like a cold or pharyngitis. Sometimes a yeast infection like thrush may cause the same symptoms.
Full coverage of the coronavirus outbreak
Spector estimated fewer than 1 in 500 patients have "COVID tongue." The main symptoms he hears about are a "furry coating" of the tongue that can be white or yellow and can't be brushed away, and a scalloped tongue. The condition can be painful.
Why Does My Tongue Hurt When I'm Sick? A weak or compromised immune system can also cause tongue pain. Mouth ulcers often precede colds and other viruses, and swollen glands can cause the tongue to feel sore and swollen.
Tiny white spots on the back of the throat, tongue, and tonsils. Bumps in the back of the throat. Gray, furry film on the tongue (can give the tongue a white appearance)
The COVID tongue apart from its characteristic depapillated appearance is characterized by other intraoral complaints of loss of taste, ulceration, burning sensation, dry mouth, red or white patch lesions, petechiae, and a whitish coating on the surface.
People with moderate or severe COVID-19 should isolate through at least day 10. Those with severe COVID-19 may remain infectious beyond 10 days and may need to extend isolation for up to 20 days.
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.
Iron deficiency anemia or pernicious anemia – A pale (almost white), smooth tongue can be caused by a deficiency in iron or vitamin B12.