The healthy tongue color is pink, with a thin white coating on the surface. However, sometimes the color of a tongue appears to change, for instance, orange. This is where people ask, why is my tongue orange?
There can be different causes behind an orange tongue. Some of those are minor and can be solved with simple lifestyle changes, while others can be alarming due to an underlying issue.
A healthy tongue is pink in color. Along with making healthy lifestyle changes, you should have a stomach checkup and take care of your diet.
So what causes a tongue to turn orange? Are there any remedies to get rid of the orange tongue? The following content deals with a detailed guide on why is my tongue orange, how to make an orange tongue diagnosis, and orange tongue cures.
So without wasting any more time, here you go with a comprehensive explanation of your query.
Orange Tongue Diagnosis
Tongues can be coated with different colors, and sometimes they appear in a color that’s hard to distinguish, like if it is orange or yellow, purple or blue, or green or brown.
Therefore, before you find out why my tongue is orange, you need to diagnose what coat your tongue has adopted?
Here is how you make Orange Tongue Diagnosis:
Take a mirror and try to see the color of your tongue in the light. In the above picture, we have displayed three different tongue colors.
Pink shows a healthy tongue where there is no coating. The next one is the yellow tongue which is not a healthy tongue. The yellow tongue can turn orange if not treated.
You can look closely at the tongue and match it with the color shown in the image for an easy orange tongue diagnosis.
Moreover, if you are unable to figure out if your tongue is orange or yellow, don’t worry. Yellow tongue causes are almost the same as orange tongue causes. So the cure can also be the same.
After understanding the color, it is time to find out the causes why my tongue is orange.
Why Is My Tongue Orange?
Remember, the orange tongue is not a by-birth issue such as a small tongue.
Related ➔ How to Make Your Tongue Longer?
Here are some causes why your tongue has turned orange:
1. Eating Tongue Coloring Sweets:
Sweets, orange ice lolly, and certain edible stuff of kids can cause tongue discoloration.
For example, if you have eaten orange-flavored ice cream, it will turn your tongue orange. Regular and excessive use of coffee and tea can also cause your tongue to color orange.
However, such discoloration remains only for some time. It wears off on its own, or you can rinse the mouth through gargles.
Such an orange tongue isn’t a reason to worry; however, sweets with colors should be avoided. Besides this, the use of tea or coffee should be done in moderation.
2. Poor Oral Hygiene:
Food debris doesn’t just accumulate on the teeth and gums but tongue also. People who are not regular at cleaning their mouth can experience coated tongue and end up asking why is my tongue orange.
If you clean your teeth regularly but still watch orange debris pile up your tongue, it can be because after cleaning your mouth, you forget to brush your tongue.
Tongue cleaners or tongue scrapers come in greatly handy in this regard.
3. Dehydrated Tongue:
Drinking less water or keeping your tongue dry for long can end people with questions like, why is my tongue orange. However, if you think that your water intake is complete, you might be using medications that turn your tongue dry and orange.
A person should drink more water than required and avoid discoloration with such medicines.
For Your Info: Xerostomia is a condition of severe dry mouth that can create bacteria in the mouth and lead to tooth decay.
4. Orange Thrush Tongue:
People with weakened immune systems or those who use regular steroid tablets or capsules can experience oral thrush and turn their tongues orange.
Orange tongue thrush is actually fungus piled on your tongue due to dry mouth, poor hygiene, or the use of steroids. It can further develop sores or blisters on the tongue.
Anti-fungal medications are recommended in this regard including tablets, capsules, and gels.
Dehydrated Tongue vs. Thrush
Dehydration can be one of the causes of oral thrush. Tongue thrush can either be white, yellow, or orange. Anti-fungal gels and tables are recommended in this regard. Drinking plenty of water can also help.
You can also experience thrush after wisdom teeth removal.
5. Bacterial or Yeast Growth:
Yeast and bacterial growth is another reason for your orange tongue. It can result in sores or an orange tongue.
It is most common for people who are sensitive to fungus and reproduce germs too quickly in their mouths.
Cleaning the mouth after every meal, brushing teeth and scrapping tongue lightly can help people in this regard.
6. Beta Carotene:
Orange and carrots have access to beta carotene, due to which they appear orange. One cause behind your query about why is my tongue orange can be excess beta carotene.
If you eat too vegetables or fruits having beta carotene, you can end up turning your color orange. People who follow a keto lifestyle or take challenges like the 28 egg and orange diet for weight loss can end up with an orange tongue.
Excluding orange vegetables and fruits from your diet can help you in this regard.
7. Acid Reflux:
Stomach issues due to poor eating habits can be one of the causes behind why is my tongue orange. People who eat meat more than often can often experience orange tongue and acid reflux.
Such food items can disturb the stomach and cause burning sensations. This can result in sores and blisters on the tongue that can make your tongue appear orange.
8. Vitamin Deficiencies:
Vitamin deficiency such as having low iron or Vitamin b12 can make your tongue change its color. It can also make your tongue feel sore without blisters.
Tongue sensitivity can be treated by supplements to treat vitamin deficiency. However, you are advised to take such vitamins only with prescriptions.
9. Mouth Burns:
If you have eaten or drank a hot, too hot drink, it can change the color of your tongue. The color of your tongue can turn yellow, orange, red, or white. Blisters can also appear there.
For your orange tongue, let the food get cool first and later eat it. In case of a burn, immediately apply ointment to keep from eruptions and sores.
10. Cold:
Sometimes cold can be one of the reasons to turn your tongue orange. This change often occurs due to mold building up in the mouth as a result of fever, cough, cold, or flu.
However, this discoloration stays for sometimes only, and once the cold is treated, the orange tongue cures on its own.
Here are some Orange Tongue Cures people can opt to get rid of this situation.
Orange Tongue Cure
Why is my tongue orange? What are some Orange Tongue Cures? Here are the details:
- Brush daily
- Do not forget to scrap your using a tongue cleaner or scrapper
- Drink plenty of water
- Avoid medicines or supplements that cause dehydration
- Treat stomach issues
- Eat healthy food
- Eat vegetables and fruits having cold essence.
If you follow these 6 ways, you can efficiently perform Orange Tongue Cure.
Before ending the discussion, here are some FAQs you sent us at Look Broad.
1. What does it mean when your tongue is coated?
When bacteria, fungus, food residue, or dead cells accumulate on your tongue, it can result in the coating. This can be white, yellow, or orange.
2. Why is my tongue yellow?
Your tongue might be yellow because of bacterial growth. It can be due to poor hygiene or dehydration. It can also be the early stage of hair tongue. Therefore, take action as quickly as possible in this regard.
3. Why is my tongue orange when I wake up?
Bacteria, yeast, and water in your mouth due to acid reflux or poor digestion can cause your tongue to turn orange when waking up. Try to eat less meat and more vegetables, drink plenty of water and clean your tongue regularly to get rid of this situation.
4. What color is a normal tongue?
A pink tongue is considered a normal or healthy tongue. However, the tones can be dark pink or light pink. When you scrap your tongue along with brushing, you can achieve a healthy pink tongue.
5. What your tongue color says about your health?
A pink tongue is healthy while a discolored tongue can be due to some issue.
A red tongue means you have a fever or hormonal imbalance, a purple tongue indicates infection in your body, while a yellow or orange tongue can be due to poor hygiene or a weak immune system.
Bottom Line
Why is my tongue orange? There are ten reasons behind your orange tongue. Vitamin deficiency can make your tongue appear sour and discolored, along with poor hygiene and dehydration. Certain medications can also cause this health issue.
You are advised to take good care of your hygiene. Do not forget to brush your tongue along with your teeth.