A healthy tongue should be medium pink, with no coating.
As a general rule of thumb, your tongue is supposed to be medium pink in color, with light to medium pink taste buds. If you have a coating on your tongue and you have good oral hygiene practices, you may have a health condition causing this.
Who Gets It?
People with a condition called 'geographic tongue' are more prone to developing problems with the tongue. Geographic tongue has lots grooves and cracks in it, so it makes for a great place for bacteria to live.
The Most Common Cause
The most common form of coated tongue according to Badbreathology.com is white tongue. White coating on the tongue is generally from poor oral hygiene, but can also be caused by colds and allergies.
Patchy White Coating
Patchy white coating on the tongue is caused by thrush. This is a form of an oral yeast infection. It is caused by medication side effects, diabetes and asthma. Patchy white coating can also be caused by leukoplakia.
Striped Coating
If you have white stripes on your tongue you may have a condition called Lichen Planus. This causes your tongue to be itchy or even itching elsewhere on the body.
When to See a Specialist
Anytime you develop a white-coated tongue that does not seem to go away with everyday good oral hygiene practices, you need to see your physician or dental practitioner.
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