A white tongue involves having a thick white film coating your tongue. The coating can cover your entire tongue's surface, the back part only or it might appear in patches. 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 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.
It might be a sign that you're dehydrated or that you need to improve your oral hygiene habits. A white tongue can also be a side effect of some common medications. In rare cases, it can be caused by an infection, an underlying skin disease, or something even more serious.
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.
Oral Lichen Planus Reason: Oral lichen planus is a chronic inflammatory condition caused by an autoimmune response. It can result in a coated tongue, yet the coating appears as a lace-like white pattern.
A thick white coating on the back or at the center of the tongue may be a sign of an overloaded digestive system. This can be caused by an imbalance of good bacteria in the gut, nutritional deficiencies and stress.
White Tongue: A white tongue can be a sign of bacterial or debris buildup on the surface of the tongue. This can be caused by mild dehydration, smoking, dry mouth, or illness. A white film on the tongue could be a sign of oral thrush, which is a type of yeast infection.
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.
If you're currently feeling anxious and overwhelmed by stress, you might experience these oral conditions: Canker sores. Dry mouth. Lichen planus (lacy white lines, red areas or mouth ulcers on the cheek, gums or tongue)
Iron deficiency anemia or pernicious anemia – A pale (almost white), smooth tongue can be caused by a deficiency in iron or vitamin B12.
Oral thrush is another condition that may cause the tongue to appear white. Oral thrush is a fungal infection caused by the Candida yeast. Symptoms include: white or off-white patches in the mouth and on the tongue.
“Normal tongues are pale red with a pale white coating. Heart failure patients have a redder tongue with a yellow coating and the appearance changes as the disease becomes more advanced.”
When your tongue is so heavily coated that it results in the appearance of a white tongue, it's a warning sign that you're suffering from an overworked digestive system. If your digestive system is overburdened, it can't function properly. This leads to a buildup of a bacteria or yeast called candida.
A white tongue can be a sign of a health condition, such as lichen planus, leukoplakia, geographic tongue, mouth ulcers or oral thrush. But do not self-diagnose. See a GP if you're worried.
If there is a thick, white coating, you may have a condition called “Candidiasis,” which is an overgrowth of yeast in the body. If the coating is yellow, it could indicate major digestive stagnation, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes or liver/gallbladder disease.
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.
Make an appointment with your doctor or dentist if: You're concerned about changes in your tongue. Your tongue hurts. Your white tongue persists for longer than a few weeks.
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.
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.
Eating foods that contain probiotics, such as yogurt or kefir, can help to promote a healthy balance of bacteria in your mouth. Probiotics can help to reduce the growth of harmful bacteria and prevent the buildup of white film on your tongue.
B12 deficiency will also make the tongue sore and beefy-red in color. Glossitis, by causing swelling of the tongue, may also cause the tongue to appear smooth.
Some conditions caused by diabetes such as high glucose in saliva, lowered resistance to infection and dry mouth (low saliva levels) can encourage the overgrowth of these fungi, leading to oral thrush. Oral thrush causes uncomfortable, sometimes ulcerated white or red patches on the skin of the mouth.
Signs of your body undergoing excessive stress can show up on your tongue as unusual redness, sores, and ulcers. Also, if your tongue appears to have marks around the edges, that could signify consistently biting your tongue as a reaction to stress.