Helped Over 500,000 patients with 98%+ satisfaction.

Connect & Get Personalized 1-to-1 Answers from Expert Doctors

DoctorSpring > Question Home

White film on tongue with bad breath. Cause?

Resolved Question:

I am a female in my early 20s and I have a white film on my tongue for the past year which makes my breath smell really bad, like poop breath. I have seen ENT, G.I., and endocrinologist. All my labs and tests were negative except cortisol was slightly high in the morning in one test. I routinely brush and scrape my tongue but it doesn't help. It goes away with eating for a short time but comes back. No one seems to know what the cause is. I take Yaz birth control for acne and supplements. Please help me!!!!

Category: Dermatologist

Ask Your Own Question

Category: Cosmetic and Plastic Surgeon
 29 Doctors Online

Hello,
Thank You for your query at DoctorSpring.com
I understand your concern.
Will you be able to send a picture of your tongue? Based on that i can assign the query to the concerned specialist.
Warm Regards,
InHouse Physician.


Patient replied :

I talked to my dentist but she said there is no oxidizing toothpaste to prescribe. What prescription exactly are you talking about?


Hello,
Thank you for your query.
I have seen the pictures that you sent.
The way human tongue is designed and shaped, it is already predisposed to a lot of anaerobic bacteria multiplying on it's surface. You do seem to have a lot of burrows and grooves, on the posterior surface of your tongue which lets these anerobic bacteria multiply and give rise to the faint whitish patch that is visible. Since they harbor the mouth, whenever there is any kind of food intake, they break the food particles into metabolites releasing sulfur, which is responsible for the bad breath.
Though your tongue can't be classically called a geographic tongue, but it does seem like you have one which makes the sulfur producing bacteria grow in the surface of your tongue.
Gentle cleaning or flossing won't be helpful, since the anaerobic bacteria doesn't die with these processes.
You need to use an oxygenated toothpaste, and those are available on dentist prescription. You need to apply the toothpaste like a film on the surface of your tongue and keep it for 90 seconds. Then scrape it gently with the scraper. A few such cleanings and the bacteria will eventually die.
TheraBreath is one such oxygenated toothpaste available. However it is better to ask a dentist for the prescription.
Also have you ever been given medicines for oral thrush? Such a tongue makes fungal infections common too. So i will also recommend you take one dose of Tab. Fluconazole 150 mg. One dose will be enough in case there is any fungal infection.
Please do not worry, It is not very common, however it can definitely be treated. I am positive the oxygenated toothpaste will help you.
Regards.

Hello,
Your dentist is probably not aware of it since it is not very commonly used.
I will rather send you the link of the tothpaste, i wanted you to get.
Hope that will be helpful.
http://www.therabreath.com/toothpaste/therabreath-toothpaste/
Kindly clink on the link, and try to get the same product. It will be helpful for you.
Regards.


Dr. Kruti Jobanputra Banodkar
Category: Cosmetic and Plastic Surgeon
Experience: 
Diploma in Dermatology - Royal College Of Physicians & Surgeons Of Glasgow, UK , 2010
Residency - DNB, Dermatology -  K.J Somaiya Hospital, Mumbai, 2009
Medical School & Internship - MBBS - Dr. D . Y . Patil Medical College, Mumbai, 2004
Dr. Kruti Jobanputra Banodkar and 4 other Medical Specialists are ready to help you

Users who read this, also read:

Make informed and better medical decisions.

Join the 500,000 people who found a smarter, quicker way to get Answers, Recommendations & Expert Opinions.

Expert Doctors at fingertips

Recommendation on next step. Second-opinion.Multi-specialty.

Save Time

Average time for answers: 6 hours.

Save Money

$35 for typical specialist consult vs. $120 for a local appointment.

Free Follow-ups

Clarify, ask further questions for free in private conversation.

100% Satisfaction

Money back guarantee for the 1st reply. MEDNET Quality Board.

Start My Consultation

CHAT NOW

About DoctorSpring.com

Doctor Spring is a novel online Doctor consultation platform where you can get your medical questions answered by leading Doctors. Just Submit your question and rest assured that you will consult a Doctor easily. Once you submit the question, the Doctor from the concerned specialty will reply within hours. You can always ask more questions or add details with follow-up question options and make it an online doctor chat. You may use this service to consult a specialty or for getting medical second opinion. All paid services come with a MEDNET quality assurance and 100% money back guarantee.

DoctorSpring in news