Dental & Oral Care

5 Home Remedies to Get Rid of White Tongue

Who doesn’t love to talk? Who doesn’t like to eat? For both of these works, you need to open your mouth first. But what if you open your mouth and get embarrassed. A white tongue is one condition that can make you feel ashamed. You must be thinking ‘what does a white tongue mean?’ ‘White Tongue’ is a state when your tongue appears white due to finger-shaped projections over the surface of the tongue.

These projections are known as ‘Papillae,’ and they generally occur due to lack of oral hygiene. These tiny bumps often cause inflammation on the tongue. The white surface which appears is due to bacteria, debris, food particles, and sometimes dead cells. This condition is a mixed contribution of several reasons. Generally, it is feasible to get rid of the white tongue. Let’s move forward to know how to get rid of a white tongue.

White Tongue by Home-Made Remedies

Why is my tongue white?

The reason behind this could be any of these –

  • Oral hygiene – Lack of oral care results in white tongue. It is essential to brush twice and floss your teeth properly
  • Dry mouth or Dehydrated Mouth – It commonly happens either by sleeping with an open mouth or by using mouth for breathing.  The flow of air dries the mouth and results in the formation of these Papillae
  • Tongue cleaning – Tongue is a significant part of our body and plays a pivotal role in egestion, yet it is the most neglected part regarding cleaning. One should clean their tongue regularly
  • Regular Alcohol consumption is something which makes one’s tongue dry. Alcohol washes hydration from the mouth resulting in the dry and white tongue
  • Smoking – Smoking works same as alcohol but has more severe effects, the smoke from cigarettes makes tongue dry and even loosens the gums and teeth. It is feasible to get rid of white tongue but not if someone smokes regularly
  • Irritation from an inside sharp thing may be sharp teeth or part of your braces
  • Tobacco consumption- It affects as same as the cigarettes do
  • Low roughage intake – Soft and mashed food if taken on a regular basis with the absence of fibrous food, causes the White tongue
  • Fever- A common fever raises body temperature causing dry white tongue condition and white tongue when sick
  • Intake of antibiotic medicines and steroids- Some of the antibiotics and steroids hurt the tongue making mouth dry and tongue

Causes

Despite these reasons, there are times when people who follow regular oral hygiene may have a white tongue. Reasons behind white tongue, other than oral care are Leukoplakia, Oral Lichen Planus, Oral thrush-a condition in which tongue gets affected by a fungal infection, Syphilis (STD disease which may result in white tongue). White tongue generally neglected until it results in bad breath or causes pain in your mouth.

How to get rid of white tongue with home remedies?

‘White Tongue,’ is a natural indicator which indicates that something is not right with our body. It is an alarm to wake us up from our activities, lifestyle or any addiction. These might be causing an adverse effect on our health. It is essential for a person to remain healthy. Health is directly proportional to the food and drinks we take. A white appearance of your tongue does not relate with your healthy personality. It often leads to white tongue bad breath which embarrasses you.

To get rid of white tongue is essential because if not treated this can convert into mouth ulcers or even in mouth cancers. The tongue is a very crucial part as it helps in breathing, speaking, and eating; thus its care is equally important as other body parts. The following are some ways to get rid of white tongue.

CURE 1: Foods

Raw garlic

Eat raw garlic; it has a strong smell which helps in killing bacteria and cleans mouth.

Turmeric

Take a pinch of turmeric(1) and salt and add few drops of water, after making a paste out of it, rub it gently over your tongue for few minutes and wash thoroughly. It helps in removing dead cells and bacteria from the tongue. Turmeric has anti-bacterial properties which help to get rid of the white tongue.

Raw Ginger

Consuming raw ginger benefits as it has anti-bacterial elements in it, which fights harmful bacteria like Candida Albicans which cause white tongue HIV and white tongue with red spots. It is a best practice to consume a small portion of raw ginger.

CURE 2:  Herbs

Aloe Vera Gel

Rubbing Aloe Vera gel over the white surface helps in tongue inflammation. Aloe contains anti-inflammatory and healing properties, rubbing it over tongue helps in hydrating it.

Oregano Oil

This pizza topping spice has many healthy properties like it is anti-bacterial, antiviral, anti-fungal, anti-parasitic and anti-inflammatory. These so many ‘anti’s’ when combined make this oil a perfect natural anti-biotic. Medical professionals have proved that this oil works excellently against oral thrush, a major white tongue cause. It also removes candida.

Pau D’arco Tea

This tea is known for its anti-inflammatory and anti-fungal elements which fight and removes candida overgrowth. You can make this tea in the home by boiling the oak and bark in four cups of water. You can add a small pinch of common salt. It helps you to get rid of white tongue.

CURE 3: Home Remedies

Coconut Oil Pulling

This ancient Ayurveda technique is beneficial and cleans the entire mouth system. Oil pulling can be done by other oils too like olive or almond, but doctors recommend coconut as it has superior properties. Take a sip of coconut oil and move it in your mouth for around 10 minutes, then spit it out. It pulls harmful bacteria and debris out from the mouth.

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Baking Soda

Applying food-grade baking soda through a toothbrush helps in removing harmful bacteria from the mouth. These bacteria often result in white tongue; thus it is good to remove them before it happens. Baking soda has cleansing properties. If used with warm water and salt to rinse, it acts as a natural mouthwash. You can also use baking soda for whitening of teeth.

Colloidal Silver

This version of silver contains anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties and could kill near around 650 kinds of disease carrier pathogens found in the human body. It is an effective way to combat with white tongue effect and help you to get rid of the white tongue.

CURE 4: Natural Treatments

Disinfectant Mouthwash

It also helps in fighting with bacteria causing ‘White Tongue.’ One can prepare a high-quality mouthwash with disinfectant properties which can also help you on how to get rid of black tongue. A simple formula for making a natural mouthwash will include – one tablespoon of Chamomile, one tablespoon of mint and sage along with a dash of oak bark and fill it with 4 cups of water. Boil it and strain after it cools down. After pouring it into a container, add a small pinch of salt. Use this solution for gargling, twice a day.

Fluoride-based Toothpaste

Use of fluoride-based toothpaste and mouthwash helps in removal of bacteria and gets rid of white tongue and surface.

CURE 5: Supplements

Probiotics

Probiotics help a lot in getting rid of ‘White Tongue.’ They are strains of bacteria which help in removal of harmful ones along with giving benefits to the digestive system.

[Read: Get Rid of Bump on Tongue]

Conventional Ways for white tongue

Following oral care practices are useful in getting rid of white tongue. Some of the conventional ways on to get rid of white tongue are as follows:

  • First and most important is to take proper care of your mouth and follow a hygienic oral routine. Add tongue scrapping in your daily affair. White tongue often gets removed itself if discussed regime gets followed
  • Drink plenty of water because water can also help you get rid of the condition known as white tongue dehydration
  • When White Tongue is getting severe, and there is no relief, then consult oral care specialist. For Oral Thrush, the doctor advises anti-fungal medicines, mostly in liquid form which one can apply easily through a dropper
  • For Leukoplakia, oral pathologists say natural remedies can cure it. Just a check on it is needed to see that it doesn’t get worse
  • In the case of Oral Lichen Planus, you need corticosteroids in severe conditions else you can also treat white tongue sore throat with natural remedies like hydration and oregano oil
  • Syphilis is a Sexual Transmitted Disease, but it causes white tongue when oral intercourse takes place. It is a severe condition which affects the mouth and can get treated by antibiotic penicillin pills that kills the bacteria which causes it

Bottom Line

Our human body has tended to alarm us about what is going to happen next. Same goes with our oral health. Experts conclude by saying that while tongue in most scenarios is harmless, and maybe recovered by softly brushing your tongue with a toothbrush or by using a tongue scraper. Or by hydrating your mouth by drinking plenty of water.

If the situation remains persistent even after a week, or tongue remains in pain, then it is must to consult a doctor. How to get rid of white tongue is possible but if you follow the remedies as mentioned above correctly

Also Read:

Get Rid of White Bump on Tongue 

Treatment for Burnt Tongue