Surely you are used to seeing your tongue pink-reddish, whose texture is soft, so it is normal to be alarmed if you observe that it changes color. The mouth can reflect the general health of your body and that is why any change in it could be indicating some infection or other problem. In the case of the tongue, it can change its color and appearance for various reasons, although it does not always mean that there is a pathology.
One of the strangest colors that the tongue can present is a greenish tone. Keep reading if you are wondering “why do I have a green tongue?”, since in this article we explain why it is due and the possible treatments available to combat this problem.
Why I have the green tongue – main causes
There are a variety of causes why your tongue can turn green, or a greenish yellowish tone, and you have to take them into account to end the problem as soon as possible. The most common causes are the following:
- Oral candidiasis.
- Hairy tongue.
- Poorly healed tongue piercing.
- Other causes: eating foods with chlorophyll or green dye, upper respiratory tract infection, or some liver problems.
Why I have a green tongue: oral thrush
Oral thrush is one of the most common causes for which you can observe the green tongue and is due to infections caused by fungi. This condition is considered to be of the opportunistic type, that is, it attacks your body when its immune system is weak, although it also occurs in people who have been using a poorly fitting prosthesis or for a long period of time. Really before this problem usually produces a white tongue, but if it is superinfected by bacteria or due to the use of antifungals and antibiotics it can become a green tone. In this other article we talk about what are the causes of oral thrush.
Other symptoms of oral or oral thrush when suffering from this condition are: bad breath, burning sensation, pain when eating somewhat spicy foods and general malaise. Here you can learn more about what are the symptoms of thrush.
Treatment of candidiasis is often about ending the infection by applying antifungal medications topically. With this and proper diet and hydration, the problem usually goes away in no time.
Hairy tongue
The tongue is composed of filiform papillae, thanks to which we notice different flavors, and it is normal for these to detach from the tongue at more or less regular intervals of time, just like the natural peeling of the skin. However, there are cases where this detachment does not occur regularly and, consequently, the papillae lengthen, grow and the tips can darken. In addition, people who suffer from elongated papillae are more at risk of getting bacterial infections.
This excessive growth causes the tongue to darken, being able to see a brown or brown tongue, which yellows or looks somewhat greenish in the center at the edges and that, finally, can become almost black. If you see that somewhere on the darkened tongue there is intense yellow or green color, it may be due to an infection.
The causes of black, hairy or hairy tongue can be many but, above all, it occurs when there is a moment of very high stress (which produces a sudden increase in some hormones) and, just as more gray hair can come out suddenly in a specific area of the hair due to a great scare or sudden stress, this problem may occur in the language. Other causes can be very poor oral hygiene, excessive tobacco use along with poor hygiene or abuse of very strong mouthwashes.
Green color on the tongue due to infection in the piercing
A tongue piercing is a source of infections because a wound has occurred through which, if the lesion is not properly cared for until it heals, bacteria or any pathogen capable of causing an infection can penetrate. So, you have any wound in the mouth and it becomes infected can also appear a yellowish or green color on the tongue, which indicates that there is pus in the wound. Other symptoms you will notice if your tongue piercing has become infected are pain in the area and a very bad taste in your mouth.
If you have any of these symptoms, see your doctor for the best treatment. Also, here are several tips on how to take care of a tongue piercing and recognize if there is an infection.
Other causes of green tongue
There are other causes that are less frequent or that have not been proven but it is suspected that due to them your tongue may turn green.
- Some foods with chlorophyll can leave this color on your tongue, but do not worry as this will disappear with the passing of the hours, as you drink and eat more.
- When there is an upper respiratory tract infection that affects the throat and there is mucus, the tongue may have a slight green hue.
- It may also be due to a problem in the functioning of the liver. When bilirubin increases, the tongue may look yellowish or, although less frequent, greenish. In addition, the mucous membranes, the whites of the eyes and skin become yellowish.
Remember to have proper oral hygiene and not only of your teeth, but also of the tongue. Also, do not hesitate to go to the doctor whenever you think it is minimally necessary or have doubts. Of course, if you see a very yellow or somewhat greenish hue (or even another color change, such as a brown or brown hue) on your tongue, don't hesitate to go to the doctor. Once you are told a diagnosis and treatment, make sure you follow it correctly.
