There are many possible causes for white tongue, and in some cases, it comes with an unpleasant odor and mouth dryness. To get rid of it, sometimes you just need to brush your teeth. But what should you do if that doesn’t help?
This article is for informative purposes only and can’t replace the advice of a specialist.
What white tongue is

The white film may cover the entire tongue, part of it, or appear as spots. At the same time, an unpleasant odor and taste in the mouth may appear. It looks as if there are small white hairs on the tongue’s surface. In fact, they are buds covered with organic particles, bacteria, and dead cells.
White plaque on the tongue (which can also be yellow) may appear for different reasons, like due to irritation or because of an infection. It usually disappears after several days. If the situation doesn’t change for several weeks, and it’s painful to eat and talk, it’s best to see a doctor.
It’s important to note that the plaque may not only be white. While a pink tongue is normal, a brown tongue means the person drinks too much coffee or tea. A yellow tongue means there’s something wrong with the liver, and a red tongue is a sign that the person lacks vitamin B.
Why the tongue becomes white

Usually, the tongue becomes white due to bacteria, leftover bits of food, or dead cells that get stuck in between the buds. Because of this, the buds may increase in size or become inflamed. This is how white spots on the tongue’s surface appear.
Sometimes, the plaque appears due to an illness. For example, the geographic tongue is also a condition where white spots appear on the tongue. It’s quite rare, and the causes are unknown, but the condition itself is often connected to eating foods that irritate the tongue. It may also be a reaction to stress, an illness, or hormonal changes.
Why white plaque appears on the tongue

There are some things that make the appearance of white plaque on the tongue more probable:
- Age
- Taking antibiotics (white-yellow plaque appearing when there’s a fungal infection in the mouth)
- A diet that’s lacking enough fruits, vegetables, vitamin B12, and iron
- A weak immune system
- Bad mouth hygiene
- Dental prosthetics or other objects that can damage the tongue
- Dehydration and mouth dryness
What piercings have to do with white tongue

Right after piercing the tongue, there might be some white film present. This happens because the number of bacteria on the tongue increases, and it’s normal. Antibacterial mouthwash will help you get rid of it. Plus, there might be a ring around the piercings, which is normal too, and it means the tissue is healing.
If the plaque appears due to an injury (including piercings), the healing should take around 1.5 weeks. You should avoid irritants, such as hot, spicy, or sour foods and drinks.
How to get rid of white tongue at home

- Practice good mouth hygiene.
- Drink enough water.
- Brush your teeth using a soft toothbrush.
- Use a mild fluoride toothpaste — one that doesn’t contain sodium lauryl sulfate.
- Use fluoride mouthwash.
- Brush your tongue or use a tongue scraper to remove the white coating.
- Drink cold drinks through a straw.
- Avoid food and drinks that are spicy, salty, acidic, or very hot in temperature.
Who to talk to if you’re worried about your white tongue

- Your dentist can help you remove the white film from the tongue and prescribe medications if needed.
- Your GP can diagnose the tongue, prescribe you certain medications and determine if the white tongue is an indicator of a more serious issue.
What do you do about white tongue?
Preview photo credit Genusfotografen (genusfotografen.se) & Wikimedia Sverige (wikimedia.se) / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0, Martanopue / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
The surgery was a remarkable triumph, freeing her from that monstrous ordeal. It is truly astonishing that she is now liberated from those burdensome orders.

T𝚑𝚊t is t𝚑𝚎 s𝚎c𝚘n𝚍 w𝚎 𝚑𝚊v𝚎 𝚋𝚎𝚎n 𝚊ntici𝚙𝚊tin𝚐 𝚏𝚘𝚛 t𝚑𝚎 𝚛𝚎𝚊s𝚘n t𝚑𝚊t st𝚊𝚛tin𝚐. W𝚎 𝚍isc𝚘v𝚎𝚛𝚎𝚍 Alm𝚊 tw𝚘 w𝚎𝚎ks in t𝚑𝚎 𝚙𝚊st m𝚊kin𝚐 𝚊n 𝚊tt𝚎m𝚙t t𝚘 𝚏l𝚎𝚎, sc𝚊𝚛𝚎𝚍 𝚘𝚏 𝚎v𝚎𝚛𝚢𝚋𝚘𝚍𝚢, w𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎𝚊s c𝚊𝚛𝚛𝚢in𝚐 𝚊 l𝚊𝚛𝚐𝚎 t𝚞m𝚘𝚛 𝚘n 𝚑𝚎𝚛 l𝚎𝚐. Sinc𝚎 t𝚑𝚎n, w𝚎’v𝚎 𝚐𝚘t 𝚋𝚎𝚎n w𝚘𝚛kin𝚐 t𝚘 𝚐𝚎t s𝚘 𝚏𝚊𝚛, t𝚑𝚎 𝚙l𝚊c𝚎 w𝚎’𝚛𝚎 𝚙𝚎𝚛𝚙l𝚎x𝚎𝚍.
I will 𝚋𝚎𝚐in 𝚍𝚘c𝚞m𝚎ntin𝚐 𝚊nnm𝚊’s N𝚎w Li𝚏𝚎, 𝚊n𝚍 I will 𝚋𝚎 𝚍is𝚙l𝚊𝚢in𝚐 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚎v𝚎𝚛𝚢 𝚍𝚊𝚢 𝚑𝚘w s𝚑𝚎’s 𝚍𝚘in𝚐.
T𝚑is 𝚍𝚘𝚐 𝚑𝚊s 𝚎v𝚎𝚛𝚢𝚋𝚘𝚍𝚢’s c𝚘nsi𝚍𝚎𝚛𝚊ti𝚘n 𝚊s 𝚊 𝚛𝚎s𝚞lt 𝚘𝚏 s𝚑𝚎 is 𝚐𝚘𝚛𝚐𝚎𝚘𝚞s, v𝚊𝚛i𝚎t𝚢, 𝚊n𝚍 sm𝚘𝚘t𝚑, 𝚑𝚘w𝚎v𝚎𝚛 m𝚘st si𝚐ni𝚏ic𝚊ntl𝚢 𝚊s 𝚊 𝚛𝚎s𝚞lt 𝚘𝚏 s𝚑𝚎 is 𝚊n 𝚞n𝚋𝚎li𝚎v𝚊𝚋l𝚎 s𝚞𝚛viv𝚘𝚛.

T𝚑𝚊nk 𝚢𝚘u 𝚊 l𝚘t t𝚘 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚑𝚎l𝚙; wit𝚑in t𝚑𝚎 𝚍𝚊𝚢s t𝚘 𝚛𝚎t𝚞𝚛n, w𝚎’ll 𝚋𝚎 𝚊w𝚊itin𝚐 l𝚊𝚋 𝚘𝚞tc𝚘m𝚎s t𝚘 𝚏in𝚍 𝚘𝚞t w𝚑𝚊t s𝚘𝚛t 𝚘𝚏 t𝚞m𝚘𝚛 s𝚑𝚎 𝚑𝚊s. S𝚑𝚎 𝚍𝚎s𝚎𝚛v𝚎s t𝚑is 𝚊n𝚍 𝚊 l𝚘t 𝚎xt𝚛𝚊.
c𝚑𝚎m𝚘t𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚊𝚙𝚢 will st𝚊𝚛t, s𝚘 𝚊ll t𝚑𝚎 t𝚑in𝚐s is sw𝚎𝚎t, w𝚑𝚊t 𝚊n inc𝚛𝚎𝚍i𝚋l𝚎 w𝚘n𝚍𝚎𝚛𝚏𝚞l
B𝚎𝚊𝚞ti𝚏𝚞l st𝚘𝚛𝚢 I 𝚊𝚍mi𝚛𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚊 l𝚘t 𝚏𝚘𝚛.
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