A healthy tongue should be a shade of pink. If you look at your tongue, you can see it has small nodules on the top and bottom called papillae. However, it’s not unusual to see your tongue has changed colour, and noticing a white coating is one of the most common issues affecting an otherwise healthy tongue.
A white or coated tongue in Bowmanville may be perfectly harmless, but at other times, it may indicate a condition that needs attention.
Usually, a white tongue is caused when bacteria or food debris and dead cells accumulate on your tongue in between the papillae. These papillae can become swollen and raised, increasing the surface area and allowing bacteria and food debris to become trapped. The entire surface of your tongue may look white or only in patches. Sometimes, a white tongue is accompanied by a nasty taste.
What Can Cause White Tongue?
Various factors can cause a white coating over your tongue, including the following:
- Poor oral hygiene
- Taking certain medications like antibiotics
- Smoking and alcohol usage
- Health conditions like diabetes
- Weakened immune system
- Receiving treatment for cancer
- Problems like dry mouth or dehydration
- Oral health conditions like leukoplakia, oral thrush or geographic tongue
Can I Get Rid of White Tongue at Home?
Sometimes, a white tongue will resolve without professional dental care treatment in Newcastle. If you think it may be due to poor oral care, try brushing and flossing more thoroughly. You can gently brush the surface of your tongue or purchase a special tongue scraper. This will help eliminate any buildup of food and bacteria from your tongue.
It can help to ensure you rinse your mouth after meals or use an antimicrobial mouth rinse. Try to avoid using tobacco products or drinking to excess. Follow a healthy diet and try to avoid foods that are especially acidic or sugary that could irritate the inside of your mouth.
Other times, it is best to see our dentist, especially if the white patches persist for a few weeks.
When to Seek Professional Dental Care?
We will always recommend seeing our dentist in Courtice if your tongue remains coated so we can assess the reason and provide treatment if necessary. For example, if you have oral thrush, you may need medications to help clear up this condition. We also suggest you come and see us if your tongue is sore or painful, especially if it makes eating or swallowing food uncomfortable.
Leukoplakia causes thick white patches to develop in the mouth and tongue and is caused by cell overgrowth. It is important to diagnose this problem correctly, as while some cases are benign, they can be a precursor for oral cancer in Clarington. If needed, we can take a small sample of cells from your mouth to check. Leukoplakia tends to be more prevalent in people who smoke but can be caused by other irritants. Most often, these patches will clear up on their own.
Dry mouth or xerostomia is another area where we can help. The risk of oral diseases increases without sufficient saliva, but this condition can be managed. Treatment recommendations can include artificial saliva substitutes or even simply drinking more water or chewing sugar-free gum, which can help stimulate saliva production.
Regular dental checkups are an easy way to maintain good dental health, so if we notice any problems like a white or coated tongue or any colour changes inside your mouth, we can recommend suitable treatment. A tongue can also appear black, hairy or red. Usually, these problems are easy to resolve, but it’s best to check with a dental professional.
