You have always been under the impression that if you have a white tongue, your oral hygiene is not up to par. It is true that the cause of a white tongue is poor oral hygiene. And even if your oral hygiene is good, you will understand how that is the case when you wake up with a white tongue since it is the known time for you to have the worst type of halitosis or morning breath. That is because overnight, your salivary glands don’t work as well so you produce little saliva which allows the bacteria in your mouth to multiply. That causes morning halitosis after you wake up. However, if you brush your teeth and scrape your tongue each morning, and you notice that your tongue is still white – then halitosis would not be the cause for that. There are some causes for you to have a white tongue which is indicative of your health. Let’s take a look at the underlying conditions that can cause you to have a white tongue.
Nutritional Deficiencies
You need to have the right number of nutrients to stay healthy. And that is why it is important to take a multivitamin because you may not get the nutritional value you need from food alone. That is even if you are on a healthy diet. If you are deficient in nutrients of any kind, that can cause problems for your health. And one of the signs that you have a nutritional deficiency is a white tongue. The white tongue caused by nutrition deficiencies is due to candida which is a yeast infection in the mouth. This condition is called thrush and it will cause a lot of discomforts.
However, the good news is that there is medicine to treat thrush, and you will want to make sure that you are getting the nutrients you need from thereon. If you are still suffering from a white tongue even if you are getting the nutritional value you need, then there is a chance your body is not absorbing a vitamin or mineral. You will need to have blood tests. There are other causes for a white tongue as well.
Autoimmune Conditions Can Cause A White Tongue
People may associate a white tongue with those who have HIV or AIDS as well, however, autoimmune conditions such as lupus or Sjogren’s Syndrome often cause a white tongue. That is because of the fact that autoimmune conditions such as those ones will cause your mouth to dry out which also causes your tongue to go white. Therefore, if you are finding that your nutritional needs are met, and you have good oral hygiene, you may want to get checked for autoimmune disorders as well. Even if you don’t have other symptoms such as joint pain or fatigue which are common signs of autoimmune disorders. However, there may be another cause for a white tongue as well.
You May Have Diabetes
You hear of symptoms such as extreme thirst and frequent urination as signs of diabetes. However, a white tongue that goes on for prolonged periods can also be indicative of diabetes. That is a sign there is an infection in your body which can take a long time to heal if you are diabetic. The earlier that diabetes is caught and dealt with, the better you will be able to manage it. There is one more underlying health condition that a white tongue can indicate.
Mouth Cancer
If you have a white tongue that has nothing to do with the above noted, then there is a possibility that you have mouth cancer. The white patches on your tongue are known as leukoplakia. Leukoplakia can often happen from smoking as well. However, those white patches can be a sign of oral cancer. Sometimes it is benign, but you need to be monitored by your doctor and dentist if you have these signs.
Mild dehydration can also be the cause of a white tongue. However, once you are properly hydrated, then the healthy pink color will resume. If your tongue is white for longer than a week, then you need to get yourself examined to makes sure that you don’t have any of the health conditions listed above.