Earth Clinic Mobile: Home Remedies for People and Pets

Tongue Issues

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Re: B Vitamin Deficiency and Sjogren's

frank (thunder bay, ontario, canada) on 03/11/2021
5 out of 5 stars

Replying to:

Replied by Kathy
(Rowville, Victoria)
10/18/2016: "hi, I suspect I might have sjogrens, my tongue is the worst symptom, it generally feels numb and scalded. My eyes are very dry also. Can you get the keratin/collegen tablets over the counter? Help!!!"

This sounds like you have a B vitamin deficiency. You should get Adele Davis's book 'Lets Eat Right To Keep Fit.' On page 65 she describes the various effect B deficiencies cause to the appearance of the Tongue.

Remedies for Black Tongue After Taking Antibiotics

L N (Uk) on 11/25/2017
5 out of 5 stars

I read on here that several people were looking for a cure for black tongue - in my case this occurred after aggressive antibiotic treatment including metronidazole which some people do claim causes this horrible side effect, (amongst many! ). I suspected candida being involved and based my approach on that. The colour was similar to liquorice stain and involved the whole top of the tongue. There was no way to clean it off and I felt disgusting with it. The blackness has only just cleared away, it took 4 weeks, and I don't know which part of my regimen played the biggest part - if any- but here's what I did:

Diet very low sugar and carb, mostly veg really but with small amounts of fish and eggs. No wheat in any form. No dairy except for live yoghourt, plain, which I find quite difficult to eat but easier when grated garlic and turmeric mixed in - as a kind of 'dressing' for the salady diet. Celery seemed very 'cleansing' and healing.

I took acidophilus capsules at every meal. I also did a tongue clean after every meal - it was quite unpleasant but seemed useful, ACV on a piece of towelling (to be burnt or thrown away after single use - cut up clean old towel for this) wiped over the tongue as thoroughly as bearable, followed by a rinse with warm water. I also took ACV twice a day. I changed to a bicarb toothpaste and after cleaning mouth and tongue each morning and night I soothed the mouth with coconut oil - swill for as long as possible then spit out. It has taken a month but my tongue is pink again now.

Hope this works for others.

Alum Helps Sore Tongue

Ginger (Frazeysburg, Ohio) on 06/19/2016
5 out of 5 stars

On very rare occasions, I get a sore tongue, not burning and not white, just along the side or under the tongue, it gets sore and anything tart like lemonade makes it worse. The only thing I've ever used is powdered alum. My grandmother told me of this, and I think she used this spice when making pickles. It is a white powder and all I know is that it works every time and I only need to just dampen my finger in water, dip it into the powder and apply it to the sore area and it heals it after one application.

Hope this helps someone else, what an easy fix for something that can make your miserable, especially when trying to eat.

Help Requested for Black and Burning Tongue

Nevy (Uk) on 09/10/2014

Please can you help me, I have been suffering with a strange tongue. Nothing has changed in my medications. But I have developed a black/purpleish tongue and the tongue is sore all the time. It's burning and feels salty all the time worse after eating. Please help as I've tried everything.

Remedies Requested for a Black Tongue

Pat (Pensacola, Florida) on 08/09/2014

I never see anything called black tongue but there is brown, I think. Mine is black, for sure, and has built up quite a ridge-effect. I can scrape and some will come out each time but no real disappearance of any of it. It may coincide with the start of my very successful use of Hydrogen Peroxide sprayed into my mouth several times a day which has, in my opinion, cured my emphysema. (The inhalation activity we are all so grateful for.) Does anyone have information on my black tongue?

Re: Could Iodine Cause Tongue Problem?

Susie (Little Rock, Arkansas) on 06/11/2014

I've had a caustic feeling on one side of my tongue for about 9 months now. I noticed it right after I had my amalgam fillings removed. I've tried everything and haven't found anything that gives me relief. Just today I realize I always put my iodine with Kelp drops under my tongue on the side that is irritated. I started to wonder if that could be the source of the problem. Then I read the iodine is suppose to be placed in water and drank...not dropped under the tongue. Could this be what is causing my problem?

Re: Lingual Nerve Damage - Metallic Taste on Left side of Tongue

Alex (New York) on 03/18/2014

Hi Ted, I had my Bottom Left Wisdom teeth removed 6 months ago, and since then the left side of my Tongue feels Numb, Scald and Dry with a very nasty taste. I dont think I lost any Taste because food still tastes normal but its the feeling on the Left side of my Tongue that has been bothering me for months now. The nasty Taste changes almost every month and and it feels as if I constantly have a Square Battery on my tongue (Metallic Taste). My Orthodontist said the Lingual Nerve must have been bruised when extracting my wisdom teeth, and will heal overtime, But its been over 6 months now. I'm very worried it will never heal. Is there anything you can recommend I try? Hope you can Help....

Re: Fissured Tongue and Burning Lips

Marilyn (Yuma, Arizona) on 02/24/2014

I have read the posts on your site but was wondering if this is also part of the fissured tongue. I know have the fissured tongue as well as the burning lips. It is especially hard to eat because foods hurt my tonque and I am more or less drinking milk, eating yogart and bananas. I saw a Dr.yesterday and he has given me a "magic mouthwash" that is supposed to work on me if it is a fungal. I am to use the mouthwash for 2 weeks. I am also not able to brush my teeth because the toothpaste hurts my tongue. Has anyone experienced any of this?

Tongue Fissure Remedies Requested

R (Pune, Maharashtra) on 02/08/2013

I want to know if there is a treatment for fissured tongue using natural remedies or any other method?

Becca (Swansea, Ma) on 12/05/2012
5 out of 5 stars

I have had a white tongue for about 6 years now. It happened after I had my youngest son who was born at 28 weeks by emergency c-section. The doctors had me on an I. V. Antibiotic every 4 hours for 4 days. It was to the point where they had me on so much I couldn't even eat anything. Anyways, since then I have tried countless ways of clearing it up with no success. I mean every way on this page did pretty much nothing except for the glycerine! I am AMAZED at how fast and how pink my tongue is again! While I have only been using it 24 hours, the whiteness is almost gone. It still has a small whiteish tint but like I said, it has only been 24 hours. I hope with continued use, and drinking more water my tongue will be back to itself again in no time!! I ordered a 16oz bottle on amazon for $8 (huge I know since I only use a couple drops on my tongue scraper). The stores in my area wanted $7 for half that size so I went with the better deal. You can also use vegetable glycerine for hair and skin as well. Haven't tried that yet, but youtube users seemed to be pleased with the outcome for that use as well. I also read that glycerine has over 1500 uses so there is always something to do with it! For anyone with this problem, start with the glycerine first and don't waste time and money like I did :)

Apple Cider Vinegar, Iodine Worked for White Coating on Tongue

Yaakova (Tulsa, Ok) on 01/19/2012
5 out of 5 stars

I've been a big fan of Earth Clinic for many years and had much success with many of the posted remedies for different ailments (I have type 2 diabetes and HBP).

After a recent round of antibiotics for a upper respiratory infection left a nasty white coating on my tongue, I drank the following: 8 oz cup hot tea (I used decaf Earl Gray), 1 tbs of ACV with honey to taste along with 1 drop of Lugol's with my breakfast. By the end of first evening, most of the white coating was gone, by the end of my second day, my tongue was back to normal, no more white stuff! I am so amazed that something so simple cleared up my nasty tongue so quickly!

I can't say enough good things about Earth Clinic! I love this site, thank to all for your contributions and advice!

Insectc (Ottawa, Ontario, Canada ) on 01/18/2012
5 out of 5 stars

I read on Earthclinic about brushing the tongue with salt but decided to try something less irritating instead. Plain baking soda works! I bought a tongue brush at the pharmacy (a little rake-shaped toothbrush for the tongue), dipped it into a bit of baking soda which you can buy at any supermarket, and just gently scraped my tongue with it. I scrape and rinse the brush, scrape and rinse again, and add more baking soda if I need to. Tastes pretty bad and makes me gag sometimes, especially when trying to brush the back of my tongue, but after rinsing it all away, my tongue is a healthy pale pink colour. ALL of the white is gone. I have to repeat every few days because the white coating comes back but it really helps! My mouth always feels fresh and very healthy for a couple of days afterwards and then I repeat again when I see signs of the white coating coming back. Works every time.

Cell Food for Tongue Issue

Lucie (Tempe, Az) on 07/02/2011
5 out of 5 stars

I've been using 8 drops of Cellfood in a glass of water 3 times a day (total of 24 drops per day) for two weeks and noticed that my GT has completely cleared up. It began calming down the very first day, was clear by the third day, and now my tongue has been beautifully smooth and pink for almost two weeks. I would like to know if anyone else has experienced positive results with Cellfood? I stumbled on it by accident---a clerk at my favorite health food store recommended it for general energy and wellbeing, for which it is excellent, but could the GT possibly be helped or cured as well?

Dietary Changes, Betaine Hcl, Oil of Oregano for White Tongue

Mike (Montreal, Quebec) on 06/20/2011
5 out of 5 stars

Reading many posts over the last year and a half I could not help noticed how so many people are suffereing from white tounge syndrome. I to have suffered from white tongue just at a time when I suddenly experience major heartburns for the first time in my life. During that period of time I can remember that my tongue was gradually becoming white until in a matter of days it became COMPLETELY white. I took this matter very lightly thinking that I can easily find a product to cure it from my local health food store. Boy was I in for a surprize!!! I must have tried 10 different products from placing RAW garlic on my tongue to scraping it using hydrogen peroxide! I visited a couple of dentists and each denied there was a problem primarely because they did not want to expose their ignorance on this matter.

After a year and a half, my tougue has finally return to its normal red color. The purpose of this post is to explain the general theory behind white tongue and suggest a single treatment that has worked for me in my particular case which may not necessairly work for everyone. The body releases its toxins through many avenues, the tongue being one of them. The white mucous is really the bodys nutural clear mucuous filled with dead bacterias. Those bacterias originate from the digestive system since the tougue is connected to it.

The only way that you can cure white tounge is that you must first go through a complete detox program. Then gradually your tongue will become red again and the color of your urine clear. Betaine HCL and oil of oregano are very powerful digestive desinfectant that you must consume along with A VERY AGGRESSIVE DIET OF FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES AND NO MORE JUNK FOOD. You must rebuild your immune by changing your eating habits to largely include fresh vegetables.

One very noticeable impact on my condition was the consumption of RAW cabbage during each meal for long periods of time. This vegetable is unique in the sense that it does effectively kill pathogens in your body and at the same feed the good bacterias. Looking back its been the worst illness I have ever tried to cure that prove very costly in the end in terms of supplements which everyone knows are extremely expensive at the health food store. In dealing with white tongue you must use common sense and ingest all foods that have the reputation of killing bacterias and fungus and of course NO MORE JUNK FOOD! my two cents ...

Yogurt

Chelsea (Tucson, Az) on 04/01/2011

use YOGART!! :D

Sea Salt for White Tongue

Spiceitup (Maryville, Tennessee, Usa) on 11/12/2010
5 out of 5 stars

Hello there.... I enjoy cooking immensely and use various if not all the spices I can get my hands on.... Because I love the robust flavor! There is nothing more irritating than eating Bourbon Glazed Salmon and having it taste like nothing... UGH UGH... Knowing that my spices have many uses, I began to dig around for what would fix the all time annoying "white tongue".... Hence I couldnt taste any of my robust flavors....

So, I came across the salt fix. Needless to say, after about 10 minutes and looking like a St. Bernard (the drooling )which I thought was quite funny by the way.... Here is what I did.... I salted my tongue with the sea salt, brushed my tongue with the sea salt, gargled with the sea salt... And lo and behold... Ten minutes later.. I found my pink tongue!!!!!!

Theory Regarding White Tongue

Mike (Montreal, Quebec) on 11/07/2010

You might say that after 1 year of having to endure a white tongue I have developed a real obsession in trying to find a cure for it. I have tried just about every method described on this website but without success and not even temporary success. Now I can sit back and celebrate BECAUSE I HAVE FOUND A CURE FOR THIS MYSTERIOUS AND FRUSTRATING DISEASE!!!! There are many reasons for a white tongue but the one that affected me for so long was really the result of ACID REFLUX not Candida as I originally thought from the beginning. It was only after I finished my last packet of treelac considered as probably one of the most promising cure against Candida that I realized that it may all along have been simply acid reflux. What finally worked for me is a CONTROLLED dosage of BETAINE HCL without risking in finding myself in surgery with a hole in my stomach. In case some of you don't know, BETAINE HCL is really pure stomach acid in a capsule with a PH less than 2 enough to burn through metal!! Here is the theory behind my complete success for eliminating my white tongue:

"WHITE TONGUE FOR SOME PEOPLE IS REALLY NOTHING MORE BUT WHITE THICK MUCUS THAT THE BODY SECRETES INTO THE THROAT SOME OF WHICH EVENTUALLY ENDS UP ON THE TONGUE AS A MEANS OF PREVENTING ACID DAMAGE BEING THE RESULT OF A PARTIALLY OPEN MUSCLE VALVE LOCATED BETWEEN THE STOMACH AND ESOPHAGUS AREA. THIS MUSCLE VALVE WAS DESIGNED TO OPEN WHEN FOOD GOES INTO THE STOMACH AND TO STAY SHUT THE REST OF THE TIME SO AS TO PREVENT ACID FOR DAMAGING ANYTHING THAT LIES ABOVE YOUR STOMACH. CONSUMING BETAINE HCL IN CAPSULE FORM WILL LOWER YOUR STOMACH PH (MAKING IT MORE ACIDIC) AND CAUSE THIS VALVE TO CLOSE MORE TIGHTLY AS MOTHER NATURE HAD DESIGNED IT TO DO SO. HOW DO I KNOW IT WORKS ? SIMPLY THAT AS SOON AS THE BETAINE HCL CAPSULES REACHES MY STOMACH, ALL THE SUDDEN MY TOUNGUE SLIGHLY BURNS BECAUSE IT IS CONNECTED TO MY STOMACH AND THUS LOSES MOISTURE AS A RESULT OF THE EXTRA BURNING ACID IN MY STOMACH. THAT IS RIGHT BELIEVE IT OR NOT THE VERY MOISTURE THAT COVERS THE TONGUE IS THE WHITE COATING!!!! . BETAINE HCL IS SO EFFECTIVE THAT THE MINUTE THE STOMACH'S PH IS LOWERED BELOW A CERTAIN PH VALUE, THEN THE BODY DOES NOT SECRETE ANY MORE MUCUS WHICH IN THE END CLEARS THE TONGUE FROM THE WHITE COATING.

WARNING: DO NOT SWALLOW THESE CAPSULES AS IF THEY WERE HARMLESS OTHERWISE YOU WILL EXPERIENCE SERIOUS DAMAGE TO YOUR STOMACH!!!!!!! READ ON THE INTERNET AND FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY BY TAKING ONE CAPSULE AT A TIME (500MG) UNTIL YOUR STOMACH BEGINS TO BURN WHICH WILL INDICATE THAT YOUR LIMIT HAS BEEN REACHED. I WILL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ANYONE NOT TAKING THE NECESSARY PRECAUTIONS AGAINS SERIOUS ACID STOMACH BURN DUE TO A LACK OF PATIENCE IN CURING HIS OR HER WHITE TONGUE PROBLEM. YOU MUST CONSUME THE CAPSULES A-F-T-E-R A MEAL NOT BEFORE. THE REASON FOR THIS IS TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE IS MORE ACID NEAR THE LOCATION OF THE VALVE WHICH SHOULD BE ON TOP OF THE FOOD YOU HAVE JUST CONSUMED. ONCE YOU BEGIN TO EXPERIENCE A SOMEWHAT DRY MOUTH AFTER INGESTING A CONTROLLED AMOUNT OF BETAINE HCL THEN TAKE A LOOK AT YOUR TONGUE IN THE MIRROR AND YOU WILL NOTICE A THINNER WHITE COAT WHICH EVENTUALLY TOTALLY DISAPPEARS SINCE YOUR VALVE IS NOW COMPLETELY SHUT AS IT SHOULD BE AS THERE IS NO MORE STOMACH ACID LEAKING TOWARDS YOUR THROAT AREA".

White tongue for me proved to be the greatest health challenge of my life as this was the result of 2 major heartburn, a fever, and a little jaundice. Since I have totally changed my eating habits by favoring raw fruits and vegetables along with stomach enzymes and of course Betaine HCL, I have not experience another major heartburn for more than 10 months. My last major heartburn caused me to have WHITE stool and in the medical profession that is serious S***T!!!! Another major heartburn could have potentially permanently damaged one or several of my vital internal digestive organ including my liver. Your body should secrete more acid naturally if you continue with the consumption of BETAINE HCL for a little while until you cannot ingest a single capsule without feeling a burning sensation in your stomach. At this point your white tongue is COMPLETELY CURED since your body will no longer need to secrete this white thick mucus that ends up on your tongue. When I started using BETAINE HCL, most website suggest no more than 3 or 4 500mg capsules at mealtime before feeling a slight burning sensation in the stomach. For me I would consume 12 capsule per meal or 24 capsules in a day without feeling ANY burning sensations!!! This goes to show how low my stomach acid really was that got me seriously ill in the first place. Now I am down to only 5 capsules per meal and improving with each passing day. My tongue is nice and red most of the time so that is a tremendous relief for me. So if you have exhausted all possibilities in getting rid of your white tongue you should try this product because it has worked for me ONLY AND ONLY if the reason for your white tongue is due to acid reflux.

NOTE: HYDROCHLORIC STOMACH ACID K-I-L-L-S CANDIDA!!! YOU MAY NOT HAVE ENOUGH STOMACH ACID AND AS A RESULT YOUR WHITETONGUE MAY BE CANDIDA RELATED NOT NECESSARILY DUE TO ACID REFLUX. EMAIL ADDRESS IN CASE YOU MIGHT HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS POST: [email protected]

Folate for a Sore Tongue

Diana (San Marcos, Tx) on 11/22/2009
5 out of 5 stars

I had a very red, sore tongue for over a year. Went to an ENT who tried antibiotics & also zinc. Nothing helped. I eventually had a spectracell blood analysis done to determine what vitamins I was deficient in, although this was done for general health and not related to the sore tongue issue. As it turned out I was deficient in 5 vitamins including folate. When reading up on the symptoms of folate deficiency I was surprised to see sore tongue as one of them. After taking folate for just a few days the red, tender tongue was cured. I was also deficient in B12 which I see others have indicated might be involved w/ sore tongue issues. Hope this helps someone out there!

Remedies Needed for Leukoplakia (New Ailments Page Created)

Magenesta (Kingscliff, Nsw, Australia) on 11/06/2009

hi, i have a problem with leukoplakia, a white raspy covering on the bottom of my tongue. it can be sore. there is also some inflammation, further making swallowing more difficult. my mouth sometimes bleeds when brushing teeth. treating it for fungus c nilstat at the moment). ive had it for a few years and it getting worse. have you any ideas? its been mentioned that methylcobalamine or turmeric may be helpful. i have visited different practitioners with no positive results. i am a vegetarian with no eggs. i dont drink or use drugs. any help would be appreciated. thanks, magenesta

Basil for Burning Tongue

Marsha (Sarasota, Fl) on 05/07/2009
4 out of 5 stars

Basil really helped with my burning tongue, just chew it for awhile, I chewed on the strings of it from my Herb garden, it numbed it and took away the burning feeling, but if I would eat or drink something the tongue would burn again. I definately cannot eat anything hot or spicey or it sets my tongue on fire. I also tried popcycles, it was like chewing ice but better and yummier, suger-free gum helps alot but I got tired of chewing gum! I told my doctor but seems like he didn't care or did not know what to do. I am going to go to my dentist to see if he has any anwers. I might get a test for Celiac disease to see if that is what it is, I eat alot of wheat bread??? I cannot keep going on with my tongue burning, it is such a pain in the neck or really alot of burning pain on my tongue. If you have any ideas to help me I would appreciate your help!!!!!