If you have recently caught a glimpse of your tongue in the mirror and it looks white, you might feel extremely shocked and alarmed. After all, you were expecting a pinkish color. While a white coating is not a pleasant surprise, it is not something that requires you to panic about your oral health (though it certainly warrants some additional research). To find out how much you know about this topic and how to respond, we invite you to take our quiz.
Quiz: True or False?
- True or False: A white coating on your tongue is always the sign of a serious problem that requires immediate treatment.
- True or False: If you are a smoker or partake in other types of tobacco, this habit may lead to a white coating on your tongue. As a result, we suggest quitting the habit and focusing on keeping your oral health in better condition.
- True or False: The best way to find a diagnosis is to search the Internet with specific information about how your tongue looks.
Quiz Answers
- False. If the surface of your tongue appears white, this can suggest a variety of things. In most cases, it simply means you need to do a better job with cleaning your tongue’s surface. However, it can point to an underlying issue like an infection.
- True. Tobacco may lead to a white-coated tongue. This is a good time to focus on your oral health, recognizing that smoking increases the likelihood of developing a number of problems from gum disease to oral cancer.
- False. The best decision you can make is to schedule a visit with our practice. We will examine your oral cavity and provide you with a definitive diagnosis (and any required treatment).
