Why Is My Tongue Yellow & Do I Need to See a Doctor?

Your tongue is lined with several blood vessels, giving it a pink color. Yellow tongue refers to a shift from healthy pink to an unhealthy yellow, orange, or brown.

Bad habits like smoking can lead to a yellow tongue. However, a yellow tongue can be caused by an underlying condition, such as diabetes.

Most of the time, a yellow tongue can be cleared up with simple fixes, such as improving your oral hygiene. Many things can cause your tongue to become discolored, ranging from foods and tobacco products to poor oral hygiene and certain medications or vitamins.

When yellow tongue is accompanied by additional symptoms or does not clear up quickly with simple changes, it is time to talk to your doctor about it.

What Is Yellow Tongue?

A yellow tongue is the discoloration of the tongue that makes it have a yellow hue. This can happen when bacteria, discoloring particles, and dead skin cells build up on the tongue and become trapped. This can cause the tongue to be coated with a yellowish color.

Ingesting certain foods, drinks, vitamins, and medications, and smoking, can put you at a higher risk for yellow tongue.

Causes of Yellow Tongue

A yellow tongue is usually caused by your habits or medications, and it can easily be cleared up without lasting issues. Certain products, irritants, and foods can cause your tongue to take on a yellow color.

• Some oral hygiene products can irritate skin cells on the tongue, cause dry mouth, or change the color of your tongue.

• Medications and vitamins can cause pigment discoloration.

• Food and drinks with dyes and colorants, especially those that are sticky, can turn your tongue temporarily yellow.

• Smoking and tobacco use can discolor your tongue.

• Poor oral hygiene can cause bacteria to build up on your tongue and trigger a yellow coating.

• Dry mouth and mouth breathing at night can increase the rate of bacteria buildup on your tongue and give it a yellow color.

Another cause of yellow tongue is black hairy tongue syndrome, which typically makes it look like you are growing black “hair” on the back of your tongue. This is because the papillae cells build on each other instead of shedding off as they are supposed to. This condition can also cause the tongue to look brown or yellow.

Can a yellow tongue be a sign of illness?

Sometimes, yellow tongue can be an indicator of a more serious condition that needs to be addressed medically. These are some of the conditions that could cause your tongue to change color:

Liver disease

People with liver disease often have shifts in their tongue color and shape. Your tongue may look yellow, shriveled, or wrinkled. You may have other oral health issues too. They can include the following:

• Bleeding gums

• Discolored teeth

• Tooth decay

• Enamel erosion

• Ulcers

Researchers say that liver disease often causes dehydration, which can allow bacteria to thrive inside the mouth. Advancing oral disease can make underlying liver disease worse.

Diabetes

People who have diabetes often experience mouth changes. In one study of 199 people with type 2 diabetes, 58.5% had a yellow and furry tongue. People with this condition may experience shifts in their ability to taste food and drink, and they may notice that their tongue looks odd when examined. Diabetes can also cause issues like dry mouth, oral lesions, and spots of white infection (candida).

Heart disease

Heart disease can cause blood to move very slowly throughout the body. When that happens, your tongue may look engorged or very red. A symptom like this might cause your doctor to send you to a cardiologist for an assessment. If your tongue is very pale or shriveled, it might indicate a different problem with your heart.

Symptoms of Yellow Tongue

The most distinctive symptom of a yellow tongue is the color. However, some people have other symptoms that accompany the color shift.

Issues you may notice with your yellow tongue include the following:

• Bad breath (halitosis)

• Taste distortions

• Nausea

• Gagging

• Bumps on the tongue

• Burning sensations

• Dry mouth

• White patches inside the mouth

• Fever

• Sore throat

• Mouth pain

Symptoms of a yellow tongue are often dictated by what is causing the yellow color in the first place. Underlying conditions can include more symptoms.

When to see a doctor

If changes to your habits and oral health care routine do not clear up a yellow tongue within a few days, it is time to consult your doctor. If you are also feeling tired, feverish, or experiencing additional symptoms, such as trouble eating, breathing, or swallowing, or flu-like symptoms, you should check with your doctor to see if the yellow tongue is the result of something else.

If you notice that your eyes or skin are also turning yellow or have a yellowish color to them, you need to contact your doctor right away. This can be a sign of jaundice and needs medical treatment.

Treatment options

Most of the time, yellow tongue is caused by bacterial buildup or outside irritants. The condition can be managed by eliminating what is causing the discoloration and taking better care of your mouth.

If the yellow tongue is caused by an underlying condition, your doctor or dentist will need to help you find the cause and treat the root issue to clear up your yellow tongue. They may prescribe medications or methods for controlling blood sugar or bilirubin buildup.

How to prevent yellow tongue

While some cases of yellow tongue can be caused by disease, others stem from poor cleaning. Changing your routine just a bit could help your tongue stay a healthy pink color.

The American Dental Association recommends these four steps for improved oral health:

• Brush. Use a fluoride toothpaste, and brush your teeth twice per day.

• Floss. Use dental floss or a similar product to clean between your teeth at least once per day.

• Watch your diet. Limit sugary drinks and snacks, and load up on fruits and vegetables.

• Visit. See your dentist regularly for advice on preventing dental disease.

While these steps can help to limit bacterial colonies inside your mouth, they may not help to keep your tongue as clean as possible. Experts say the average toothbrush isn’t designed to dig deep into the cracked surface of the tongue. Use a dedicated tongue cleaner to scrape bacteria away.

If you follow up your cleansing routine with mouthwash, choose a product with no alcohol. Research published in 2024 suggests that alcohol in mouthwash can increase some types of oral bacteria populations, which can then increase the risk of some types of gum disease.

The American Dental Association says drinking water is one of the best things you can do for your oral health. It washes away sugary residue, and it can combat dry mouth. Keep a reusable bottle of water with you at all times to remind you to drink often.

Staying away from food and drinks that stain your tongue and paying attention to certain medications and vitamins that cause this discoloration can help eliminate the issue as well. Talk to your doctor before stopping or switching medications to find the best alternative.

Frequently asked questions