Does Alcohol Cause White Tongue?

You hit snooze once, twice, three times. Last night’s festivities caught up with you — why not sleep just a little while longer? By the time you crack open an eye to check the time, you’re catastrophically late.

You throw on an outfit, bolt to the bathroom, and splash some water on your face. Before dashing out the door, you lean toward the mirror for a last-minute inspection. Do you look like someone who was up until three? Well, kind of. It’s not great, but it’s good enough. You roll your eyes at yourself and stick out your tongue. That silly expression stops you in your tracks.

“Wait … why is my tongue white?”

What Causes a White Tongue?

A white tongue is usually caused by a buildup of bacteria, dead cells, and old food (yum!). Anything that affects saliva will prevent these substances from being effectively washed away. Over time, this causes white tongue.

Think of it this way: our tongue is covered in hundreds of little nubs called papillae. Normally, saliva flushes bacteria and food bits caught between those bumps down into the stomach. This action naturally cleans the mouth. When the body produces less saliva, those substances stay on the tongue, forming a white cast of biofilm.

The following factors impact our chances of developing white tongue:

• Diet. We are what we eat! A high-sugar, low-nutrient diet may lead to bacterial overgrowth throughout the body, including the mouth.
• Underlying conditions. Oral thrush, leukoplakia, geographic tongue, oral lichen planus, syphilis, and tongue cancer are all associated with white patches on the tongue.
• Smoking. Tobacco increases our risk of fungal infections, damages our taste buds, and kills cells in our mouths. All of these may lead to white tongue.
• Vitamin deficiencies. A lack of proper nutrients can weaken the immune system, making us more vulnerable to white tongue-causing conditions like oral thrush, oral lichen, and candida overgrowth.

If we’re experiencing this symptom, we need to consider one of the most common causes of white tongue: alcohol.

Drinker’s Tongue Explained

Why does drinking whiten our tongue? Before it even hits the stomach or small intestine, a glass of wine or beer will pass through our mouth. There, it passes through the mucosal lining — if we have even a mild allergy, it irritates delicate oral tissue in the process). As our drink moves through the digestive tract, it takes effect, causing inflammation and dehydration.

This combination results in white tongue. The tongue’s papillae swell and saliva production decreases. Without saliva to wash refuse away, old food and bacteria build up above and below the tongue. This is worsened by the poor dental hygiene that often accompanies heavy alcohol use. Let’s be honest: many of us skip brushing (or do a poor job of it) after a night out. We’re definitely not remembering to scrub our tongues! Over time, that pale coating thickens and becomes difficult to remove.

How To Get Rid of White Tongue

Don’t worry — we’re not sentenced to a white tongue for the rest of our days. With a few simple life changes, we’ll be back in the pink. If you’re tired of missing out on open-mouthed candid photos, try these tips.

• Brush up on your brushing. We know, we know. It’s embarrassing to admit, but many of us still struggle to brush correctly. One study found that only 10 percent of Swedish citizens follow toothbrushing best practices, and another in the UK discovered that nearly half of respondents fell short. Look into the modified Bass method to up your oral hygiene game. (Here’s an instructional video for our visual learners.)

• Scrape away. If you’re noticing white buildup, a tongue scraper may be the answer. Thanks to their bacteria-banishing benefits, these devices have been popular for centuries. Tongue cleaning can be a valuable addition to your dental hygiene routine. Pro tip: Instead of getting a plastic scraper, opt for an easy-to-sanitize metal one.

• Diversify your diet. Sticking to soft, sugary snacks can cause white tongue. To combat it, eat more high-roughage foods like fresh fruit and raw vegetables. A diverse diet will also address any vitamin deficiencies contributing to your tongue color.

• Drink more water. Fight dehydration by drinking the recommended daily amount of water: 3.7 liters for men and 2.7 liters for women. Anything less is a fast track to white tongue.

• Talk to your doctor or dentist. As we mentioned, white tongue can be a symptom of more serious conditions, including mouth cancer. Always consult your physician or dentist when you notice something new happening in your body.
  
• Avoid alcohol. Drinking inflames the body and reduces our saliva production, leading to buildup and alcohol white tongue. Changing our intoxicant intake may improve our tongue’s appearance.

Alcohol and Oral Health 

Researchers have found that alcohol-dependent participants exhibited a higher prevalence of cavities, gum disease, and oral lesions than the control group. They also uncovered a relationship between alcohol use and a lower salivary pH, meaning that drinkers may have more acidic mouths. Why does this happen?

• Dehydration. Have you ever noticed that your breath is worse after a night of heavy drinking? As we mentioned above, alcohol dries out our mouth; without saliva to wash it away, bacteria builds up. The same microbes that give us that post-party morning breath also cling to our teeth, causing decay.
• Sugar overload. If you like piña coladas, you might have white tongue. Most drinks come with a heaping helping of hidden sugar, which can do a number on your maxillary well-being. Sweet beverages feed the Streptococcus mutans bacteria in your mouth. They, in turn, produce enamel-eroding acid. Over time, that may lead to gum disease.
• Swelling. Alcohol is inflammatory, so consuming it can make our body swell. That includes our tongue! The papillae — those little dots we call “taste buds” — become inflamed, trapping bacteria and dead cells. The result is white tongue.

Beyond the Pale

Our alcohol consumption can cause serious oral health issues. Heavy drinkers are five times more likely to be diagnosed with cancers of the mouth, throat, and esophagus than non-drinkers. Alcohol cancer-causing power uses two mechanisms:

• Acetaldehyde. The liver breaks down alcohol into a toxic chemical called acetaldehyde. This pesky molecule is behind that crummy post-drinking malaise or those hangover symptoms. It’s also a known carcinogen.

• Immune system dysregulation. Our immune system has some natural cancer-fighting properties. Alcohol disrupts the immune system, diminishing this natural health power. Drinking also weakens the body’s ability to absorb cancer-preventing nutrients like folate and vitamin C.

Regardless of why it happens, we should be aware of consequences associated with long-term alcohol use and warning signs from our body that something is off (such as white tongue). If we notice our health starting to suffer from alcohol use, we may want to rethink our drinking.

Speak Your Truth!

Before we go crazy with the tongue scraper, we should probably consider what’s really behind our white tongue — treating a symptom can only get us so far. To see results, we need to address the root cause. For many of us, this unsightly condition can be a wake-up call that our alcohol use has gotten a bit out of hand. If we’re ready to cut back or quit altogether, we can take advantage of alcohol reduction apps like Reframe and start putting our health and well-being first.