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Sore or white tongue

A sore or white tongue is not usually serious and is often easily treated.

Things you can do yourself

Do

  • use a soft toothbrush to brush your teeth

  • brush your tongue or use a scraper to help improve a white tongue

  • use a straw to drink cool drinks

  • take paracetamol or ibuprofen

Don't

  • do not use a toothpaste that contains sodium lauryl sulphate

  • do not eat hard, spicy, salty, acidic or hot food and drink that may irritate your tongue

  • do not smoke

  • do not drink alcohol

Ask a pharmacist:

  • what's causing your sore or white tongue
  • if you can buy anything to help with any pain or irritation
  • if you should see a dentist or GP

Non-urgent advice: Contact your GP or dentist if

you have:

  • have pain or itchiness that does not go away or gets worse
  • have white patches on your tongue
  • have a mouth ulcer that does not heal after two weeks

Common causes of a sore or white tongue

Biting or burning your tongue with hot food or drink can cause pain and swelling. This should only last a few days.

A white tongue can be a sign of a health condition.

Do not self-diagnose. Contact your GP if you're worried.

Lichen planus
photo of inside a mouth, including some back teeth, inner cheek with white patches and tongue with white patches
White patches on the tongue and inside the cheek, with sore gums
Leukoplakia
photo of tongue with raised white patches
White, raised patches on the tongue, inside of the cheeks, or on the gums, that do not come off when you rub them
Geographic tongue
photo of a tongue with blotchy, red patches and a white patch
Blotchy, red patches on the tongue that have a white or light-coloured border
Mouth ulcer
photo of a white round spot on a tongue
Round, painful and swollen sores that look like blisters and can appear on the tongue, inside of the cheeks, or on the lips

Learn more about mouth ulcers.

Oral thrush
photo of a child's tongue with a white patch on it
Itchy, red mouth with white patches on the tongue

Learn more about oral thrush.

Content supplied by the NHS and adapted for Ireland by the HSE

Page last reviewed: 10 February 2025
Next review due: 10 February 2028

This project has received funding from the Government of Ireland’s Sláintecare Integration Fund 2019 under Grant Agreement Number 123.