I continuously have white tongue for the past 8-10 years, especially in morning. When I scrap it with tongue scrapper its just keep coming off. My white tongue also contribute to my halitosis problem. Wanted to know the cure and reason behind it. please help.

Dr. Yasmin Asma ZoharaDentist28yrs exp

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The keratin formed on the top of our tongues is knocked off and swallowed when we eat our meals. Normally the amount of keratin produced is equal to the amount knocked off, and our tongues appear normal. Sometimes this balance is upset, however, and the condition called ?coated tongue? results. This increased production of keratin is usually due to irritation of the top of the tongue due to drinking hot beverages or smoking tobacco. A throat swab with koh staining and throat culture shows positive for candida albicans. It is basically that of the degree of keratin accumulation in the tongue. With coated tongue, the accumulation is not severe. Generally, the most effective treatment for this condition is the daily use of a tongue scraper, which removes the dead keratinized cells from the top of the tongue. Stopping or reducing any habits that might cause irritation (smoking, regular consumption of soft drinks) to the top of the tongue also usually helps reduce the problem. Of course it is important to realize that this is a harmless condition, and if it doesn?t cause too many symptoms, it really doesn?t require treatment.  

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