“Why do I have a thick white coating on my tongue?”
I have a recurring white coating on my tongue. Even though I keep cleaning it, the white color keeps coming back. What can it be and what can I do to remedy it?
2 Answers
Tongue coatings can have many different sources. There is normal bacterial flora that populate the GI tract. The type of bacteria change the further down you go. On the tongue, the bacteria can change depending on how acidic your GI tract is, and different types of bacteria, which can be black or greenish are more prevalent when you take certain antibiotics, when you smoke, when you drink alcohol, or can change depending on your food intake and your dietary habits (when you eat and how much), and on your systemic hydration. Dehydration can play a large role. Consult your physician, and a dietician for further investigation.
I'm not completely sure why that coating develops though I see it often. You can control it by brushing your tongue and using a tongue scraper which is available at most pharmacies.
