Yellow coating on the tongue is often an indicator of poor oral hygiene, though there can be other factors like liver or gall bladder conditions, which may contribute to yellow coating of the tongue. Health diet, oral hygiene and some simple home remedies can help in the treatment of yellow coated tongue symptoms.
Yellow coated tongue is characterized by yellowish coating on the surface of the tongue, which may or may not be accompanied by other symptoms like halitosis (i.e. offensive odor from the mouth), burning and pain in the oral cavity, etc. There are a host of factors that are responsible for yellow coating on the tongue, but in most cases, these factors are not very serious and linked with poor oral hygiene.
Try treating yellow coating on the tongue at home using simple home remedies. However, if the condition is associated with other systemic symptoms or doesn’t resolve with home remedies, consult your physician immediately.
Causes Of Yellow Coating On Tongue
Some of the common causes for yellowish discoloration and coating of the tongue are,
- Poor oral and dental hygiene increases the risk of bacterial infection in the tongue, which in turn can result in yellowish discoloration and coating of the tongue.
- Tobacco smoking or tobacco chewing can result in yellowish coating on the tongue.
- Jaundice is a syndrome complex, which is associated with liver and gall bladder disorders is often characterized by yellowish coating on the tongue.
- Other factors include lack of dietary fiber in diet and excessive consumption of saturated fats, etc tends to increase the occurrence of yellowish coating on the tongue.
Yellow Coated Tongue Symptoms
Yellow coating of the tongue may or may not be associated with other symptoms. However depending upon the underlying cause for the condition, yellow coating of the tongue may be associated with following symptoms,
- Halitosis or bad breath from the mouth is often associated with yellow coated tongue. This is attributed to bacterial infection in the oral cavity or excessive smoking.
- Retrosternal burning and retching may also be observed in conditions that are associated with gastro-intestinal distress.
- In cases of jaundice, yellow coating of the tongue is accompanied with yellowish discoloration of the skin, sclera of the eyes and nails.
Home Remedies For Yellow Tongue
Here are some simple home remedies and dietary suggestions to treat yellow coated tongue naturally,
- Gargle with a solution comprising of one part of hydrogen peroxide and five parts of water. Hydrogen peroxide helps kill bacteria and improves oral hygiene.
- Increase your intake of dietary fiber. Dietary fiber helps improve digestion, which in turn improves the entire gastro-intestinal health and can be beneficial in treating yellow coating on the tongue.
- Limit the intake of tobacco and alcohol. Limit the intake of oily and starchy food. Instead consume easily digestible foods like boiled rice, boiled vegetable, fresh fruit juices, etc. This diet is useful in management of liver disorders and hastens recovery.
While in most cases, yellow coating of tongue may not be a serious medical condition, if the symptoms persist, please consult your physician immediately.