The tongue is normally pinkish, but occasionally it becomes covered with a whitish deposit and gives the impression of having a pasty mouth. A white tongue is also sometimes referred to in medicine as a saburral tongue. Most often, this is a temporary, mild symptom.

The tongue, which is normally smooth and pink, may occasionally become covered with a whitish coating on its upper surface. Depending on the cause, the white deposit can be uniform, appear in the form of spots, can be thick (pasty) or not … It can also be accompanied by various symptoms such as pain, inflammation, discomfort in the swallowing, fever, etc.

The tongue can be the site of various inflammatory, infectious or tumor conditions and lesions. Note that color variations, quite normal, can also be observed from one person to another.

If the white coloring is often attributed to the presence of a mycosis ou candida (a condition caused by a microscopic fungus such as Candida albicans), this situation is actually quite rare.

Most often, a whitish tongue is due to an accumulation of bacteria and cell debris as well as a thickening of the taste buds on the surface. This is called the saburral tongue: the plaster can be removed by scratching the tongue.

The causes of white tongue are varied. These include, among others:

• a Dehydration ;
• insufficient oral hygiene, which is also responsible for halitosis ;
• a deterioration of the general condition, caused for example by a digestive, cardiac or systemic disease;
• Alcohol consumption ;
• smoking.

White spots on the tongue can also be a sign of a so-called “geographic” tongue. Without seriousness, this phenomenon is due to irregular peeling of the tongue, which leads to the formation of slightly raised white border spots, which change over the days. No treatment is necessary.

As for fungal infections of the tongue caused by Candida albicans, a fungus, they can be favored by taking certain medications, such as antibiotics. The tongue is then covered with a creamy white coating, which comes off if you scrape it and which can give a metallic taste.

Finally, some whitish lesions, called leukoplakia, are more worrying: they are potentially pre-cancerous lesions, often due to tobacco. They cannot be removed by scratching, unlike candidiasis lesions for example.

Note that in infants, especially when breastfed, the tongue can often appear white after feeding: it is in fact a deposit of milk without gravity. When the whitish coloration persists between feedings, it may be a condition called “thrush,” caused by a fungus. Treatment is then necessary because the irritation can bother the baby and irritate the mother’s breast.

White coloring in and of itself is not a problem, unless it is accompanied by itching, burning, or an unpleasant taste. It can sometimes be a precursor sign of cancer and, in all cases, it is therefore imperative to identify the cause of the symptom to obtain the appropriate treatment.

In the event of abnormal deposition or unusual coloring of the tongue, it is advisable to consult a general practitioner or dermatologist. He may, if necessary, request additional examinations (blood tests or biopsy, for example) to determine the cause of the white spots.

Depending on the diagnosis, treatment will be offered: it may be an antifungal in the event of a yeast infection, hygiene measures or advice on lifestyle, anti-inflammatory drugs or antibiotics in the event of a yeast infection. systemic infection, etc.