White Tongue

Jenteal

Ok I looked up white tongue on the search engines. I have known babies that have white tongues which is called thrush mouth. My french teacher always had that in her mouth that is the only perosn I have ever seen. Here is what I have found. Not knowing if your whole tongue was white or just in patches I will just give you all the info on this page that I read.

Thrush is an infection caused by the fungus Candida albicans, the same little beastie responsible for yeast infections. The disease is common among babies, who may be exposed to the microorganism as they pass through the birth canal. Thrush is also common in people who take antibiotic or steroid medication, and in people with compromised immune systems. In all of these cases, the healthy balance of bacteria in the mouth can be disrupted, making it easier for Candida albicans to grow and spread. Smoking is a risk factor, too, since it also upsets the balance of bacteria in the mouth.

Symptoms of thrush can include:

white patches on the tongue and insides of the cheeks
creamy, cottage-cheese-like sores, also on the tongue and in the mouth
pain or burning in the mouth and throat
lessened ability to taste food or an unpleasant taste in the mouth
Sometimes, thrush can be a sign of a more serious, underlying condition, especially if you're not part of one of the higher-risk groups mentioned earlier in this answer. Diabetes and HIV are two possibilities. If you're concerned, or if you have been in sexual situations that have placed you at risk, it might be a good idea to get tested by a clinic or health care professional.

Several non-thrush conditions can also cause a white tongue, including:

Scarlet fever
The tongue has a white coating for the first two days of the disease.

Kawasaki disease
A white coating and prominent red bumps appear on the tongue.

Herpes simplex virus — type 1
Cold sores caused by the herpes virus can give the tongue a white coating.

Lichen planus
A skin disease that causes lacy white patches on the tongue and inner cheeks if the mouth is infected

Another site said this:Microscopic examination of mouth scrapings by your doctor to tell for sure if you have this or not. Your doctor may prescribe an antifungal mouthwash or lozenges to suck on. These are usually used for 5-10 days. If they don't work, other medication may be prescribed. If the infection has spread throughout your body, stronger medications may be used like ketoconazole or fluconazole

Does that help?

Jenteal

Coveted

The tip of my tongue is red, but the rest of it is white. I tried brushing my tongue the other day, and I got some of it off, but it was back when I woke up. I have had this for a while.

I was on antibiotic's for a while, so perhaps it is Thrush. I should get it checked out at the doctor's.

Thanks a lot for that, Jenteal!

Jenteal

You are most welcome. Glad I was of some help.

Jenteal

cboo23

tongue scraper..... pretty cheap at the drug stores... you'll be supprized at how well it works. May not Cure it but it will help.

GR8

HI - I have exactly the same thing, the dreaded white tongue. I have looked after myself fairly well, drink alcohol extremely rarely, don't smoke, get fresh air and exercise nearly everyday.

Last year I was in a foreign country and ended up crook as a dog in hospital with pneumonia. I was fed a wonderful concoction of whatever's, to help get rid of the crap inside my lungs, my nails even went yellow which apparently shows the lack of oxygen within ones system, believe me it was no fun and I know how it would feel to drown - the drugs worked - but somehow I think it has contributed to lessened immune system and candida having a field day. I have tried various wonders without any success either.

So how to get rid of the little critters that love to play within? If anyone has anymore insight on top of jenteal's please offer it.

Regards, GR8

JiVage

Lol, I have a similar problem also. Well its not a major thing but its pretty annoying. Like the previous posters, the tip of my tounge is reasonably red however the back parts of my tounge is quite white, and kinda smells pretty funky if you know what I mean.

I well, try to stay healthy but don't think thats working. I drink every weekend and eat reasonably healthy and drink water everyday. At night before sleeping I usually scrub the whiteness off (when I brush my teeth) but its usually back the next day.

Might have to consider getting a tounge scraper, to ensure a fresher feel I guess.

greensky

There is a diet you can follow to get your Candida under control. If you like I can expand on this. Or you can see my post under "Alternatine Medice" thread "Another cleanse question".

chipples

Thrush can be caused by steroid inhalers too. You may want to get a prescription from your doc to clear it up. Don't worry or feel weird. Thrush is very very common.