Yellowish white coat in tongue with grooves. Reason.

Resolved question:
I've had yellowish white coat on my tongue for several years it now has groves in it as you see in the photo. I've been to my dentist twice specifically asking him what the problem is and he says he doesn't see a problem but that I need to clean it which I do everyday since my first time going to see my dentist for this issue. I had an upper endoscopy done about six month because I was experiencing severe nausea with burning sensation in my stomach. Also seen a ENT who was looking for reasons why I felt like I had something caught in my throat he said I had silent reflux syndrome and said he seen no cancer he put a tube threw my nose and all the way down into the back of my throat but that was a year ago. The knot feeling in my throat is gone as I change what foods I was putting my body. What should I do I know this is not normal?

Submitted: 4 Days
Category: Dentist

Expert:  Dr. Girish P.V replied 4 Days.

Hello,
Thank you for your query at DoctorSpring.com
A coated tongue isn't a disease and isn't usually a sign of anything serious.
A coated or white tongue occurs when the surface is colonised by bacteria or fungi
It's usually only temporary.You can try gently brushing it with a tongue scraper and drinking plenty of water to help it improve.
However, sometimes a coated tongue can indicate an infection or more serious condition.
If you have symptoms like burning, etc then it could be associated with problems such as leukoplakia, lichen planus or oral thrush- which should be shown to a oral surgeon for further investigations/treatment.
If there are no symptoms regular cleaning with toothbrush (preferable) or with motorised toothbrush is advisable.

Feel free to discuss further,


Dr.Girish P.V
Orthodontist and Clear Aligner Specialist(Germany)

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