White Sore on Tongue

It is difficult to ignore a diseased tongue. You need your tongue for eating, drinking, swallowing, talking, tasting foods, etc. Therefore, a tongue in sound working state is a necessity to lead a healthy life. You must be understanding this point better if you are suffering from white sore on tongue. If you are searching for information on white sore on tongue, I would not like to take much of your time. Rather I would want you to go through the following account quickly to learn what factors are responsible for white sore on tongue, and how the same can be treated with the help of some easy home remedies.

Causes of White Sore on Tongue

There are three major disease conditions that can cause white sore on tongue. These are leukoplakia, oral lichen planus and candidiasis. Leukoplakia is the result of long term irritation of the tongue, which affects people who have the habit of chewing tobacco, etc. This disease is marked by the excessive growth of the cells present on the tongue or other parts of the mouth. Leukoplakia should be treated well on time as it may trigger the onset of cancerous growth of the mouth cells.

The second important reason behind the formation of white sore on tongue, i.e., oral lichen planus is an autoimmune inflammatory disorder. It mainly affects the lining of the tongue and mouth. The characteristic symptoms are the presence of lacy white patches on the tongue, gums and other parts of the mouth. In some severe cases, such white patches may even extend to throat and esophagus. Oral lichen planus usually gets resolved on its own. However, avoiding the foods that you feel irritate your tongue may speed up the natural process of recovery.

Candidiasis, also termed as oral thrush, is a kind of fungal infection. The causative fungi is Candida albicans. The most prominent signs of candidiasis is the appearance of white patches or white sore on tongue. These sores resemble cottage cheese in appearance and consistency. Oral thrush most commonly affect infants, older people, denture wearers and those who have poor immunity. Many people develop white sore on tongue due to candidiasis after completing an antibiotic course. The reason is that the antibiotic tends to disturb the healthy balance of useful and pathogenic micro-organisms in the mouth. There are some more factors that may lead to the formation of white sore on tongue. These are canker sores, HIV/AIDS, cancer, etc.

Home Remedies for White Sore on Tongue

• Yogurt contains active bacterial cultures, and thus, tends to restore the balance of micro-organisms in the mouth. Eat a cup of yogurt on empty stomach once a day to treat oral thrush.
• Tea contains an alkaloid called tannin. It is known to relieve pain. Take a moist tea bag and place it on the area affected with white sore on tongue for about 5 minutes twice a day.
• Make a solution of hydrogen peroxide and water in the ratio of 1:1. Apply this solution directly to the white sore on tongue.
• Use a soft bristle brush to clean your teeth. Such a brush will assist in the treatment of white sore on tongue by preventing physical trauma to the tongue that could have been caused otherwise.
• Increase the daily intake amount of proteins, vitamins and minerals. This will enhance your immunity, and thus help your body in curing white sore on tongue fast.
• Apply 1-2 drops of onion juice on white sore on tongue thrice a day. This will reduce the discomfort caused by white sores on tongue to a great extent.
• Avoid toothpastes that contains sodium lauryl sulfate and alcohol. Otherwise, you may make your condition even worse.
• Avoid chewing tobacco, smoking, etc. This will prevent further worsening of white sore on tongue.
• You may take over-the-counter antiviral medication for curing leukoplakia.
• Mix half a cup each of milk of magnesia and Benadryl liquid. Swish this solution for about 2 minutes, and spit it out. This is an effective remedy for painful white sore on tongue.

Read more on:

• Sores on Tongue
• Sore Bumps on Tongue
• Sore on Side of Tongue

Someone has rightly said that, prevention is better than cure. This statement holds true for white sore on tongue as well. You should maintain dental hygiene and a strong immunity to keep discomforts like white sore on tongue at bay. Brush and floss your teeth regularly, follow a healthy diet, and visit a dentist for routine dental care. All these preventive measures are necessary for leading a life free from unwanted conditions like white sore on tongue.