Poor Oral Hygiene Leads To White Tongue. Know More Causes And Remedies

White tongue is often due to an overgrowth of candida, a fungus that causes yeast infections or oral thrush. It’s actually perfectly normal for the fungus candida to live in your mouth, but when it accumulates, it can spread to the roof of the mouth, gums, tongue, tonsils and back of the throat creating white tongue, white lesions, redness and even bleeding. Tongue coating is one of the most important foundations of tongue diagnosis. It plays an important role in determining and treating health issues.

White tongue may be caused by the following factors:

- Dehydration

- Poor oral hygiene

- Illness or infection

- Dry mouth

- Fever

- Reaction to certain medications, including antibiotics or steroids

- Candida yeast infection (oral thrush)

- Smoking or tobacco use

- Alcohol use

- Spicy food, such as habanero and jalapeno peppers

- Congenital heart disease in adults

Home Remedies to Treat White Tongue

1. Baking Soda

One of the many baking soda uses is its ability to exfoliate the tongue, removing any residue that causes white tongue, and maintain good pH levels in mouth by neutralizing acids.

2. Coconut Oil

Coconut oil pulling is one of the best ways to remove bacteria from the mouth. This oral detoxification is commonly used in Ayurvedic medicine. Ayurveda advises oil pulling to purify the entire system, as it holds that each section of the tongue is connected to different organs of the body. The oil sucks the debris and toxins out of your mouth and creates a clean, antiseptic oral environment.

3. Sea Salt

There are many benefits of sea salt, including its natural antibacterial activities, so by gargling and swishing sea salt with water, you can eliminate bacteria and debris that causes white tongue. Plus, the coarse texture of sea salt works as an exfoliant, helping remove the white coating on the tongue.

4. Aloe Vera

Aloe vera has antibacterial, antifungal and anti-inflammatory properties, which is why it’s used to heal infections, wounds, burns and skin irritations. It also contains enzymes that help to remove dead cells and promote the regeneration of skin tissue. To remove the white coating on your tongue, swish one tablespoon of aloe vera juice in your mouth two to three times a day until the coating has disappeared.

5. Garlic

To treat white tongue, especially when it’s the result of oral thrush or bacterial overgrowth, take one clove of raw garlic per day or use an organic raw garlic supplement.