White Tongue: Harmless Coating, Thrush, or Something to Check?

A white tongue is usually a harmless film you can brush away. But a white patch that won't rub off, or any white patch still there after two weeks, needs a dentist or doctor to look at it. Here's how to tell the difference. The most common kind is a coated tongue. The top of your tongue is covered in tiny bumps called papillae, and together they make a big, rough surface. Bacteria, bits of food and dead cells get caught between them, and that build-up looks like a white film. It often comes with bad breath or a bad taste. What makes it build up: not brushing your tongue, breathing through your mouth or a dry mouth from some medicines, smoking or vaping, more than one alcoholic drink a day, and a diet of mostly soft food, short on fruit and vegetables. If it turns brown or black and looks furry, that's usually black hairy tongue. The fix is simple: gently brush your tongue with a soft toothbrush, or use a tongue scraper; drink plenty of water; cut back on tobacco and alcohol. If it's still there after a few weeks, get it checked, and if your tongue hurts, see your doctor soon. Oral thrush is a yeast infection. A yeast called Candida normally lives in your mouth in small amounts; thrush happens when it overgrows. It often looks like creamy white, slightly raised spots, a bit like cottage cheese, on your tongue or inside your cheeks. Thrush spots can usually be wiped away, and underneath, the lining is red and tender and may bleed a little. A white patch that can't be rubbed or scraped away is different: that could be leukoplakia. Most aren't cancer, but a small number already are, or turn into it over time, so let a dentist or doctor look. Thrush is more likely if you've taken antibiotics, use a steroid inhaler for asthma or COPD, wear dentures that don't fit well, have diabetes with high blood sugar, or have a weakened immune system. It's treated with antifungal medicine from your doctor; after using a steroid inhaler, rinse your mouth with water and spit. With Ben Frederick, MD, physician and founder of Dr. Frederick's Original. Related guide on our blog, Fight Bad Breath with Our Easy Tonsil Stone Removal Kit: https://drfredericksoriginal.com/blog... Chapters 0:00 White tongue: harmless film or a patch to check? 0:22 What is a coated tongue? 0:40 White tongue causes 1:03 How to get rid of a white coating 1:20 Oral thrush: what it looks like 1:40 Thrush vs leukoplakia: the wipe clue 2:02 Who gets oral thrush 2:17 Thrush treatment and prevention 2:36 When to get a white tongue checked 3:01 Recap More from Dr. Frederick's Original: Geographic Tongue: Why Your Tongue Looks Like a Map, and When to Get a Patch Checked:    • Geographic Tongue: Why Your Tongue Looks L...   Tonsil Stones: What They Are, Why They Smell & How to Remove Them Safely:    • Tonsil Stones: What They Are, Why They Sme...   Tiny Itchy Blisters on Your Fingers: Dyshidrotic Eczema, and When It's Something Else:    • Tiny Itchy Blisters on Your Fingers: Dyshi...   Sources Cleveland Clinic, White Tongue: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health... Cleveland Clinic, Thrush: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health... MedlinePlus, Thrush - children and adults: https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/... NHS, Oral thrush (mouth thrush): https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/oral-th... NHS, Sore or white tongue: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/sore-or... NHS, Leukoplakia: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/leukopl... MedlinePlus, Leukoplakia: https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/... NHS, Side effects of beclometasone inhalers: https://www.nhs.uk/medicines/beclomet... MedlinePlus, How to use an inhaler - with spacer: https://medlineplus.gov/ency/patienti... NIDCR (NIH), Oral Cancer: https://www.nidcr.nih.gov/health-info... Reamy 2010, Am Fam Physician: https://www.aafp.org/pubs/afp/issues/... Educational information only, not medical advice. See a dentist or doctor if a white patch won't rub off, if any white or red patch in your mouth or a sore is still there after two weeks, if you have pain or trouble swallowing, or if you have white patches and a weakened immune system. Narration uses an AI model of Dr. Ben Frederick's own voice, created and used with his consent. #DrFredericksOriginal #whitetongue #oralthrush