White tongue can be very unsightly.
The Mayo Clinic's website reports that white tongue is caused by inflammation of the papillae on the surface of your tongue. White tongue can be very unsightly and cause severely bad breath. However, if you are unable to resolve the problem using basic treatments, it may be a sign of a more serious medical condition.
Causes of White Tongue
The Mayo Clinic's website reports that there are several causes for white tongue, including smoking, dehydration, and excessive mouth breathing
Basic Treatments
Some treatments for this condition are quite obvious and basically take common sense. The Mayo Clinic website reports the following ways to cure it:
• drinking plenty of water
• brushing your tongue often or using a tongue scraper
• smoking cessation
• increasing your fiber intake
If these basic treatments fail to work then you may need to see your family physician or dentist.
Medical Treatment
If you have a case of white tongue that cannot be cured by trying the above treatments, you may have a medical condition. In an article on the website for Nutrition4Health, Dr. Seymour Gottlieb writes that yeast infections or oral candidiasis can form on the tongue and can cause pain and burning sensations. Your doctor or dentist may need to determine if you have a yeast infection by doing a swab of the tongue. If the cause of your white tongue is a yeast infection, your physician will prescribe an antifungal medication such as Nystatin. Your physician may also prescribe vitamins and changes in the diet.
Homeopathic Treatment
Dr. Gottlieb also lists some homeopathic treatments such as:
• grapeseed extract
• grapeseed oil
• capricin tea
• homeopathic Candida silicea
• artemisia
These treatments can be found at a local health-food or vitamin shop.
Dietary Changes
According to Dr. Gottlieb, dietary changes can also help prevent this problem. The website reports that avoiding foods such as
• alcohol
• sugar
• white flour
• refined or processed carbohydrates
• any foods containing yeasts or molds
• milk and Juice
• fermented foods
• dried foods
can help with curing a serious yeast infection.
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