White Tongue: causes and what to do
Good oral health not only includes brushing your teeth, but also your tongue plays a fundamental role. A healthy tongue has a pink color and is covered with small lingual papillae. However, sometimes we get a white coating on the tongue. This is what you can do to get rid of the white tongue.
The tongue allows us to taste the food we eat, swallow what we eat and drink. Last but not least, it is important to be able to speak. Thus, we can say that the tongue is one of the most important muscles we have. A healthy tongue has a pink colour and is covered with small lingual papillae. But sometimes we get a white coating on the tongue.
WHY DO YOU GET WHITE COATING ON TONGUE?
Getting a white coating on the tongue can be a symptom of illness, but it can also be a temporary problem that is not serious. Some reasons for a white tongue can be oral thrush/ candida, and if regular cleaning of the tongue does not rid the problem, you should contact your doctor to check for underlying conditions. You can also get a white coating due to poor cleaning because bacteria and debris sit between your taste buds. In addition to affecting aesthetics, tongue coating can cause bad breath or change the taste of food.
Food particles, bacteria, dehydration, high consumption of alcohol or tobacco, fever and side effects of certain types of medication are some of the reasons why you get a coating on the tongue.
HOW TO GET RID OF COATING ON TONGUE?
The best solution to get rid of this white coating is a balanced diet that cleanses the body and boosts the immune system, as well as good cleaning of your mouth.
It will also help with these tips:
- Brush your teeth carefully: Brushing your teeth helps maintaining a good oral hygiene
- Use tongue cleaner: A tongue cleaner can easily remove the white coating
- 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. These are full of nutrients that help cleanse the body and keep it healthy
If the white coating on the tongue lasts more than two weeks, and you also experience discomfort, you should contact your doctor. A health check will be able to determine if it is caused by something more serious, or illness.
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