Resolved question:
I am a female in my early 20s and I have a white film on my tongue for the past year which makes my breath smell really bad, like poop breath. I have seen ENT, G.I., and endocrinologist. All my labs and tests were negative except cortisol was slightly high in the morning in one test. I routinely brush and scrape my tongue but it doesn't help. It goes away with eating for a short time but comes back. No one seems to know what the cause is. I take Yaz birth control for acne and supplements. Please help me!!!!
Submitted:
4 Days
Category:
Dermatologist
Hello,
Thank You for your query at DoctorSpring.com
I understand your concern.
Will you be able to send a picture of your tongue? Based on that i can assign the query to the concerned specialist.
Warm Regards,
InHouse Physician.
I talked to my dentist but she said there is no oxidizing toothpaste to prescribe. What prescription exactly are you talking about?
Hello,
Thank you for your query.
I have seen the pictures that you sent.
The way human tongue is designed and shaped, it is already predisposed to a lot of anaerobic bacteria multiplying on it's surface. You do seem to have a lot of burrows and grooves, on the posterior surface of your tongue which lets these anerobic bacteria multiply and give rise to the faint whitish patch that is visible. Since they harbor the mouth, whenever there is any kind of food intake, they break the food particles into metabolites releasing sulfur, which is responsible for the bad breath.
Though your tongue can't be classically called a geographic tongue, but it does seem like you have one which makes the sulfur producing bacteria grow in the surface of your tongue.
Gentle cleaning or flossing won't be helpful, since the anaerobic bacteria doesn't die with these processes.
You need to use an oxygenated toothpaste, and those are available on dentist prescription. You need to apply the toothpaste like a film on the surface of your tongue and keep it for 90 seconds. Then scrape it gently with the scraper. A few such cleanings and the bacteria will eventually die.
TheraBreath is one such oxygenated toothpaste available. However it is better to ask a dentist for the prescription.
Also have you ever been given medicines for oral thrush? Such a tongue makes fungal infections common too. So i will also recommend you take one dose of Tab. Fluconazole 150 mg. One dose will be enough in case there is any fungal infection.
Please do not worry, It is not very common, however it can definitely be treated. I am positive the oxygenated toothpaste will help you.
Regards.
Hello,
Your dentist is probably not aware of it since it is not very commonly used.
I will rather send you the link of the tothpaste, i wanted you to get.
Hope that will be helpful.
http://www.therabreath.com/toothpaste/therabreath-toothpaste/
Kindly clink on the link, and try to get the same product. It will be helpful for you.
Regards.