[mage lang="" source="flickr"]Bad Breath And White Tongue[/mage]

My 4 year-old-daughter has bad breath, her tongue is white in the back w/bumps. What is this?

She Also clears her throat frequently, and says she feels like there are “boogers” in her throat. I believe this is allergy related as she has done this off and on since the age of one. But the bad breath and white, pastey tongue is something new! I have no idea what this could be.

Thrush is an infection of the mouth caused by the candida fungus, also known as yeast. Candida infection is not limited to the mouth; it can occur in other parts of the body as well, causing diaper rash in infants or vaginal yeast infections in women.

Thrush can affect anyone, though it occurs most often in babies and toddlers, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems.

What Causes Thrush?

Small amounts of the candida fungus are present in the mouth, digestive tract, and skin of most healthy people and are normally kept in check by other bacteria and microorganisms in the body. However, certain illnesses, stress, or medications can disturb the delicate balance, causing the fungus candida to grow out of control, causing infection.

Medications that upset the balance of microorganisms in the mouth and may cause thrush include corticosteroids, antibiotics, and birth control pills. Illnesses or medical situations that make candida infection more likely to develop include uncontrolled diabetes, HIV infection, cancer, dry mouth, or pregnancy (caused by the hormonal changes that occur with pregnancy). People who smoke or wear dentures that don’t fit properly also are at increased risk for thrush. In addition, babies can pass the infection to their mothers during breast-feeding.

What Are the Symptoms of Thrush?

Thrush usually develops suddenly, but it may become chronic, persisting over a long period of time. A common sign of thrush is the presence of creamy white, slightly raised lesions in your mouth – usually on your tongue or inner cheeks – but also sometimes on the roof of your mouth, gums, tonsils, or back of your throat. The lesions, which may have a “cottage cheese” appearance, can be painful and may bleed slightly when you scrape them or brush your teeth. In severe cases, the lesions may spread into your esophagus, or swallowing tube, causing:

Pain or difficulty swallowing
A feeling that food gets stuck in the throat or mid-chest area
Fever, if the infection spreads beyond the esophagus
Thrush can spread to other parts of the body, including the lungs, liver, and skin. This happens more often in people with cancer, HIV, or other conditions that weaken the immune system.

why is my tongue white?!?

i have noticed that my tongue is white!
i have also noticed that i always have bad breath!
i brush my teeth at least twice a day so i dont know why i always have bad breath and why my tongue is white!
what could this be? is there any home remedies for this?
please help! thank you!

I had the exact same problem. I’d always brush my teeth and people would comment on my bad breath. It turns out that that white stuff on your tongue is food bacteria which is causing the smell.
The solution is to use a tongue scraper. It will scrape off all the bacteria on your tongue. You can buy them at your convenience store.

Here’s what I do daily in this order: brush teeth, scrape tongue, rinse with mouthwash, and carry mints throughout the day.