White Tongue Treatments

Looking in the mirror and seeing a white tongue can be startling and worrisome, but white tongue generally is harmless and easily treated with home remedies. However, a white tongue can signal more serious conditions that require medical care.

Causes

• A white tongue can occur from several causes, including a buildup of food debris and saliva, an imbalance of good and bad bacteria that cause a yeast infection or cell damage because of tobacco or alcohol.

Symptoms

• Poor oral hygiene can cause a white tongue and bad breath. An oral yeast infection produces a white, creamy cottage cheese-like substance on your tongue, while the overuse of tobacco products can cause leukoplakia, a persistent white patch.

Food Debris

• Brushing your tongue with your toothbrush or scrapping it with a tongue scraper may rid you of both a white tongue and halitosis. Rinsing with a mouthwash can help kill germs.

Fungus

• If your white tongue is caused by an overgrowth of candida (yeast), a condition known as oral thrush, simply brushing or scraping your tongue will not help. You will have to see your doctor for anti-fungal medication.

Leukoplakia

• If you have a white patch on your tongue that won't wipe off, it may be due to excessive smoking or drinking. This patch might disappear once you stop these unhealthy behaviors, but surgery may be needed to remove the possibly pre-cancerous patch.