“Why are parts of my tongue white?”
I am a 19-year-old female. Last week I noticed that my tongue is white in some areas. I brush it every day, but it is not helping. Why are parts of my tongue white?
3 Answers
DentistDentist
This can be from bacterial or fungal overgrowth. If you use an inhaler or have taken a new medication recently it could have resulted in an imbalance of bacteria/fungus. I suggest a stainless steel tongue scraper daily. However, I recommend having a dentist examine the white spots. White and red spots on soft tissue (gums, lips, cheeks, tongue, roof of mouth) could be immune-related, sores, pre-cancerous lesions, etc. I would feel better if you had a dentist look at it to see if biopsy is suggested.
It's not unusual for the surface color of the tongue to vary. If you are having any symptoms you should see your dentist.
The tongue can present with a patchy anatomy for some patients. If you have a concern about the spots you can see your dentist for a possible biopsy to rule out any pathology.
