Four causes of an orange tongue

Usually a healthy tongue is pink. Should your tongue turn orange, you should give some thought to the likely reasons. Though many occurrences are benign, an orange tongue can occasionally point to an underlying medical condition.

1. Badish Oral Hygiene

Bad oral hygiene is among the most often occurring reasons of an orange tongue. Food bits and bacteria can gather on the tongue and turn it discoloured. Additionally causing dental health issues including poor breath is this accumulation.

Symptoms: foul breath; orange coating on the tongue.

Treatment consists in flossing, tongue scraping, and regular brushing of teeth and tongue.

2. Thrush in the Mouth

An excess of Candida yeast in the mouth produces the fungal infection known as oral thrush. Along with other problems including discomfort and trouble swallowing, it can cause a white or orange coating on the tongue.

Symptoms: white spots, orange coating on the tongue, pain, trouble swallowing.

Treatment: Antifungal prescriptions written by a medical practitioner.

3. Some Drugs

Certain drugs, especially antibiotics, might upset the oral flora and cause an orange tongue. Usually transient, this side effect goes away as the prescription is stopped.

Symptoms: Orange tongue; additional possible side effects depending on the drug.

See your doctor to go over possible substitutes or to control adverse effects.

4. Overwhelming Beta-Carotene Consumption

Many fruits and vegetables including carrots, sweet potatoes, and pumpkins contain beta-carotene, a pigment. Eating too much of these foods can cause a condition known as carotenemia, which would make tongue and skin orange.

Orange tongue, orange skin discolouration.

Reducing beta-carotene intake is the treatment.

When should I see a doctor?

See a doctor if the orange tongue lasts even with adequate dental hygiene or if it accompanied other worrisome symptoms. They can advise suitable treatment and correctly identify the underlying reason.

Note: This material is meant for general education and informational only use; it does not provide medical advise. For any medical inquiries or concerns, always speak with a licenced healthcare provider.