A yellow tongue might not seem like a big deal, but it could signify that you have health concerns that need to be corrected. You might not know this, but the color of your tongue can say a lot about your health. A yellow tongue is usually not a big deal and is caused by things like what you eat or a short-term illness. But if your tongue stays yellow for a long time, it could mean that something worse is going on. Here are five health problems that could make your tongue look yellow, along with their signs and symptoms, risk factors, and what you can do about them.
Oral thrush is a common medical condition that arises when the fungus Candida albicans grows too much in the mouth. We always have a little bit of this fungus in our lips, but some factors can make it grow too much. People who have diabetes that isn’t under control, are using antibiotics, or have a weak immune system are more likely to have thrush.
When thrush affects the tongue, it might look like a thick film of yellow or white on top of it. It can also hurt, make your mouth feel like it’s full of cotton, make it hard to swallow, and give you bad breath. If you don’t cure it, it can potentially spread to the gums and esophagus. Antifungal medications are routinely used by doctors to treat oral thrush. But taking care of your teeth, such brushing your tongue every day and washing your mouth after taking antibiotics or inhalers, can help keep it from happening in the first place.
Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is another reason why your tongue could be yellow. When stomach acid commonly runs back into the esophagus and even into the mouth, this is called GERD. This acid can make the soft tissues in the mouth and tongue heated and painful, which can affect their color. People with GERD may also have a terrible taste in their mouth, heartburn all the time, bad breath, and even lose teeth over time.
Being overweight, smoking, eating acidic or spicy foods, eating too much, eating late at night, and being under a lot of stress all make GERD more likely. Doctors often tell people with GERD to make modifications to their lives that will help with symptoms like a yellow tongue. Some of these modifications are eating smaller meals, staying away from items that make it worse, not lying down shortly after eating, and sleeping with your head up. Sometimes, medicine is needed to help the stomach make less acid.
In addition to being less prevalent, jaundice can also make your tongue yellow. Bilirubin is a yellow pigment that is made when red blood cells break down. If the liver isn’t working well, it might not be able to break it down and get rid of it. If there is too much bilirubin in the body, the skin, eyes, and tongue may turn yellow. Jaundice doesn’t mean you have an illness; it means something else is wrong.
It can happen if you have hepatitis, fatty liver disease, a blocked bile duct, or if you drink too much for a long time. People with jaundice may also feel sick and weary, have pale stool, black pee, and stomach ache. You should consult a doctor right away if you notice any of these symptoms, as jaundice could mean that your liver isn’t working properly. Doctors often use radiology and liver function tests to discover out what’s wrong. The treatment depends on what’s happening.
Too many bacteria is a typical cause of yellow tongue that people don’t always think about. If you don’t take care of your teeth and gums, you could get this disease. The tiny bumps on the tongue’s surface can hold onto bits of food, dead cells, and bacteria. If you don’t clean these often, they could get dirty and smell bad. They can also get brown or yellow.
People who smoke, chew tobacco, drink too much coffee or tea, or don’t drink enough water are more likely to do this. If your tongue has a yellow film on it and you don’t have any other symptoms, it usually means that you’re not brushing or scraping it well enough. The answer is simple and works: clean your tongue every day, drink extra water to be hydrated, and stay away from foods and drinks that stain and smoke. Antibacterial mouthwashes can also help keep the surface of your tongue clean.
Lastly, respiratory illnesses like the common cold, sinus infections, or tonsillitis can cause postnasal drip, which can turn your tongue yellow. Mucus from the sinuses or nasal passages can fall into the mouth and coat the tongue, which can modify how it looks. This happens more often when you have the flu or when your immune system isn’t performing correctly. You may also have a sore throat, cough, stuffy nose, or swollen lymph nodes along with the yellow coating. In these situations, the color change normally fades away when the virus that caused it is treated. Drinking a lot of fluids, gargling with salt water, and breathing in steam will help with symptoms and get rid of mucus.
A yellow tongue isn’t usually dangerous and goes away on its own. But there are occasions when you should pay attention to it. If the yellow covering stays on for more than two weeks, you should contact a doctor straight away. This is especially true if you also experience pain, a fever, trouble swallowing, or yellowing skin or eyes. These could mean that you have a more serious sickness, such liver disease or an infection that affects the whole body.
One of the easiest and best ways to keep your tongue from turning yellow is to keep your mouth clean. Brush your teeth and tongue twice a day, floss every day, drink a lot of water, don’t smoke, and don’t consume or drink too much food or drink that is too colored. You can genuinely keep your tongue and body healthy by doing these little things every day.
