Have you ever noticed a white coating on your tongue and wondered what it means? Today, we’re diving into the top 4 things that cause the vast majority of white-coated tongues, with a special focus on Candida – a common but often overlooked issue. Stick around, because I’ll also be sharing how to effectively treat Candida and restore your oral and gut health.

Common Causes of a White-Coated Tongue

What does the mouth have to do with IBS? Everything! It’s the entrance to the digestive system, and the beginning of that amazing digestive tube that is running through your body.

And what is happening there, in your mouth, is just as important to your digestion as what is happening further down the digestive system, so I make a point of understanding and treating what is happening in the mouth, especially when it comes to Candida.

Now, one of the more common complaints that I see is having a white coating on the tongue, which many people assume is oral thrush. That’s likely true, but there are a handful of other causes to be aware of, so let’s go over them, from least likely to most likely.

Dry Mouth - The first is a dry mouth. Like any other tissue, when the tongue gets dry it gets pale and white. This is easily treatable by staying well hydrated. And if this is the only thing contributing to your white tongue, then it should go away fairly quickly when you drink enough water.

Lichen planus – The second cause of a white coating on the tongue is something called lichen planus. Lichen planus is usually found in patches, and is typically on the sides of the tongue and/or on the cheek. Lichen planus is due to inflammation and is thought to be an autoimmune condition. It is often treated with corticosteroids, which ironically would make oral thrush, also known as Candida, worse. It affects up to 2% of the population.

If you are diagnosed with lichen planus, my question to you is what is triggering your autoimmune condition? Most doctors don’t ask this question, nor do they help you explore the possible cause. And I encourage you to find a doctor that does.

Leukoplakia – The third issue to mention is something called Leukoplakia. Leukoplakia is a white thickening of the tissue, and again is usually either on the side of the tongue or on the cheek, but it can be anywhere on the tongue. It’s usually due to some kind of irritation in the mouth like braces or biting your cheek or tongue. It can also be caused by tobacco use.  It’s not typically a coating across the entire tongue. This condition affects up to 4% of the population

Candida/Oral Thrush -  And finally we have Candida, which when it’s on the tongue is also known as oral thrush. Candida is a fungus that is growing on the tongue, and it is caused by anything that favors the growth of Candida. Candida loves sugars, carbs, sweets, fruits, antibiotics, steroids, and lots of other things, far too many to mention here.

It is by far the most common cause of this condition, and is probably the cause of at least 90% of all white coatings on the tongue.

And keep in mind that when you have oral thrush, it is very likely that you also have Candida further down in the gut causing symptoms like gas and bloating and other problems. You can learn all about that in my free training on Candida, which is available at the link in the description below.

How Do You Know Which One You Have?

Keep in mind that all of these conditions can and often do look identical to the naked eye. The only way to definitive diagnose exactly what is causing your white tongue is to either do a tongue scraping for Candida and send it to the lab for evaluation, or to do a biopsy and look for lichen planus and leukoplakia. So if you aren’t sure what it is, be sure to see a doctor and get a proper diagnosis.

Since the vast majority of cases are oral thrush, you may be able to sort this out on your own. There are some basic things that you can do on your own to treat it and see if it improves. These include salt water rinses, unsweetened yogurt, and baking soda. All of these things can help to rebalance the microbiome in the mouth and treat oral thrush.

And I get into many more details about Candida in my Conquering Candida course.

Final Thoughts

If you’ve been struggling with a white-coated tongue, I encourage you to consider Candida as the possible cause. I see a lot of this, and properly treating it can make a huge difference in how you feel.

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