6 days post op - white furry tongue

I know this is an older post, but just wanted to say I am so pleased I found it! Thank you! I'm 5 days post-op and let's just say this white tongue is freaking me out a little (well, it was until I read this post). Going to see my GP later today anyway, but will stop off and buy some biotene. Failing that, if I can't find it, a tongue scraper it is!

Hi Anna - have you seen your GP? are you drinking enough? Did you try the mouthwash? Is your tongue sore / tender / have patches in other places in your mouth like the roof of your mouth? If so, it might be oral thrush. I am also on day 10 but my tongue has improved as I've been able to drink more. It's still not 100%, but much better. I have also been drinking some smoothies with yoghurt in it - so maybe the yoghurt is helping to rebalance the bacteria. Hope your tongue improves soon!

it's been 10 days and i STILL have it and i feel like it won't go away anytime soon :(

Hi all - in case others have a white dehydrated tongue (and it is not oral thrush) - my GP suggested a "dry mouth" mouthwash - biotene - which seems to be working well.. my tongue is thankfully returning to normal...

Many thanks to all for your advice - I saw my gp today and she doesn't think it is thrush - just dehydrated and will hopefully return to normal soon.... I have been on antibiotics before and after the op etc but also just really dehydrated... Thanks again!

They don't usually give antibiotics routinely for this operation. Unless your tongue is red, sore and the white stuff is blotchy/patchy it's unlikely to be thrush.  I agree with Box of Jewels that is it probably the dreaded ketosis tongue that eventually settles down with good oral hygiene and increased oral intake. Just take care not to breath on anyone.


cheers Nini

many thanks for the tips - much appreciated!

I had that as well.
It appears to be quite common.

I think that it was thrush from the antibiotics used intra-op.

In the absence of being able to ingest large tablets/capsules, I made my own super-probiotic (I had about 5 different ones!) enhanced yoghurt using an Easy-Yo yoghurt maker.  This cleared up the white furry tongue and post-op diarrhoea nicely :)

I did some googling.

http://www.mayoclinic.org/symptoms/white-tongue/basics/causes/sym-20050676

White tongue is the result of an overgrowth and swelling of the fingerlike projections (papillae) on the surface of your tongue. The appearance of a white coating is caused by debris, bacteria and dead cells getting lodged between the enlarged and sometimes inflamed papillae.


Causes of papillae hypertrophy or inflammation include, for example:


Poor oral hygiene
Dry mouth
Dehydration
Smoking or other oral tobacco use
Alcohol use
Mouth breathing
Low roughage diet — eating mostly soft or mashed foods
Mechanical irritation from sharp tooth edges or dental appliances
Fever


This Pamphlet was really good at explaining it
http://www.aaomp.org/public/docs/hairy-tounge.pdf 
and so is this site - 
http://www.aaomp.org/public/hairy-tongue.php

The info on those sites is basically this - 
What Is hairy/coated tongue?
"Hairy" or "coated" tongue is a harmless, but sometimes annoying problem that is seen rather frequently. People who complain of this condition are almost always adults, and it can affect men or women. 


What causes coated tongue?
Basically, the top surface of the tongue is an area that is typically subjected to a lot or irritation on a daily basis. This irritation is often due to hot drinks or rough foods (tortilla chips, etc.) For this reason, humans have been designed to have the tops of their tongues produce a layer of protective dead cells called "keratin". This is the same material that forms our hair and fingernails. It is also the same material that forms when we, for example, use a rake in the yard, and calluses develop on the palms of our hands. The calluses are made up of keratin. 


The keratin formed on the top of our tongues is knocked off and swallowed when we eat our meals. Normally, the amount of keratin produced is equal to the amount knocked off, and our tongues appear normal. Sometimes, this balance is upset, however, and the condition called "coated tongue" results. This may be due to the keratin not being knocked off as quickly, as seen with people who are eating a softer, less abrasive diet (denture wearers especially). On the other hand, some people will develop this problem when the keratin is produced more quickly than it can be knocked off and swallowed. This increased production of keratin is usually due to irritation of the of the tongue due to drinking hot beverages or smoking tobacco. The accumulation of keratin on the filiform papillae ("taste buds") of the tongue gives the tongue a kind of "hairy" appearance. 


What is the difference between coated and hairy tongue? 
The difference between these two terms is basically that of the degree of keratin accumulation. With coated tongue, the accumulation is not severe. With hairy tongue, the amount of keratin is such that hair-like projections of the keratin material form on the top of the tongue. 


What about the color of my tongue?
Sometimes it seems black or brown. Because the keratin is composed of dead cells, this material can act as a place for the normal bacteria found in the mouth to accumulate and grow. Some of these bacteria can produce pigments while they grow, resulting in a brown or black color to the of the tongue.The bacteria are harmless and cannot be eliminated from the mouth (regardless of what the mouthwash advertisements suggest!). 


Can people catch this from me?
No, absolutely not. While several medical textbooks suggest that this is due to some sort of infection, very little evidence supports that theory. In fact, we have seen numerous cases of coated or hairy tongue that have been treated with a variety of antibiotics that had no effect whatsoever. 


Is there any cure for coated tongue?
Generally the most effective treatment for this condition is the daily use of a tongue scraper, which removes the dead keratinized cells from the of the tongue. Stopping or reducing any habits that might cause irritation to the top of the tongue also usually helps reduce the problem. Of course it is important to realize that this is a harmless condition, and if it doesn't cause too many symptoms, it really doesn't require treatment. 

So in summary - It seems the combo of a bit of dehydration, and bugger all food (and just liquids) probably causes the build up of keratin on the taste buds.  Bacteria and stuff thrive in those conditions, so the breathe is probably not smelling like flowers.  Antibiotics are of dubious use.  So, tongue scraping is the "cure".  However, build up could in some cases promote the growth of thrush - so if your tongue is also sore or inflamed, then you might want to treat for that.

Many thanks for your advice box if jewels and totoro - I will go to my gp tomorrow and see whether I should try to treat it now or a bit later when hopefully my body has calmed down and is a bit more normal. Thanks again!

I got thrush while in hospital. I had to use those Nilstat drops for a couple of weeks. You just swirl them around in your mouth then swallow - only 1mL I think so not very much. Show the pharmacist -  they'll be able to advise.

I've read several reports of it post op.  I think it may be a side effect of fasting/severe calorie defecit or ketosis - though it is commonly treated as thrush, so maybe it could be either. 
  
Thrush, I believe, tends to be more irritative though.

Hi - I am 6 day post op, trying to sip sip sip but feeling quite dehydrated and have this revolting white furry tongue! I am not sure if it is oral thrush or what it is - and whether it should be treated now or later down the track when my sleeve is a bit less raw... I am hesitant to use mouth wash in case some dribbles down my raw new sleeve - any tips? Have others had this? Did it go away! Thanks!