white tongue now not all white.

[boct]

I have always had a whitish kinda tongue with moss on it and i read thats normal.But today theres a spot on the middle of my tongue that has no white on it at all seems kinda strange theres no whitish tongue thesers  just no white moss in the middle of my tongue and on one side of my tongue its just the tongue color redish. this is the first time i ever saw this.but it seems like i have a slight sore throat  on that side to when i swallow.what do you think this is?what would cause the white coat to come off my tongue in 2 spots?

[Jerome Tsang, DDS]

So the white patch has always been consistent and now recently it has started to turn red on the right side of the tongue?

My initial guess is that its median rhomboid glossitis which is a fungal infection.  Some antifungal medication may help with the issue.  You may want to ask your dentist for a prescription.  It is possible that the antibiotics which you are taking is killing the bacteria in the mouth but since the bacteria is limited in growth, the fungus in your mouth has taken over but it seems to happen a little more rapidly that I would expect but it is possible.  

[boct]

I want to add theres no growth of any kind just the white coat came off my tongue in these 2 spots.

[boct]

also i tried to take the white coat of my tongue with my finger and it wont come off I am posting a pic of what im talking about.what on earth is wrong with my tongue and how worried about it should i be?thank you dr. http://i658.photobucket.com/albums/uu303/water09_2009/phone2018.jpg

[boct]

I also take 50mg of zinc everyday and prozac daily 20mg not sure if that has anything to do with it?

[boct]

I wanted to add I had my dentsit look at this a few weeks ago and all he told me is its not oral cancer and not to worry.but since then that place where the white is off the tongue has gottin bigger since yeseterday im really worried.

[boct]

I also take mincocycline 100mg a few times  a week for acne.but i didnt take it for about 2 or 3 weeks since the middle of last week i just started taking it again maybe 3 times a week..

[boct]

theres also some white on the right side of my tongue its like a little line of some white like this long -------- and -------- but not so straight kinda jagged sorry i tryed to take a pic of it but it wont come out.mydentsit looked at these white things on the side of my tongue they dont hurt at all there not soars but he didnt know what they were and just said its not cancer dont worry about it.sorry for all the posts but i want to get everything on here and it wont let me edit it.thanks dr .

[boct]

2 more links these 2 were takin at the end of the day after i was done eating for the day and i brushed and flossed for some reason my tongues not as white now but you can still see the redish spot on my tongue......http://i658.photobucket.com/albums/uu303/water09_2009/tongue3019.jpg
http://i658.photobucket.com/albums/uu303/water09_2009/tongue3021.jpg

sorry again for all the posts i also wanted to say i have ibs and take alot of imodium (immodium) each week also.sure wish they had an edit button on here.thank you dr.

[boct]

thanks dr so you dont think its anything worry about then then?would it be ok to wait over a month to have it looked at thats about how long it takes to get an appt.I should i try to get in sooner?thanks dr for your help I will ask about the antifungal medication.

[boct]

So the white patch has always been consistent and now recently it has started to turn red on the right side of the tongue? yes.

[boct]

also I was wondering if this could possibly be geographic tongue?it looks like it could be that to?

[boct]

ok i got a pic of the side of the tongue dr with the white border.my dentist said it wasnt cancer but i still worry.I have had this on the side of my tongue for a long time at least 9 months maybe a year.

http://i658.photobucket.com/albums/uu303/water09_2009/tongue4022.jpg

[Jerome Tsang, DDS]

I can't rule out cancer but I would try the antifungal medication first.  It is possible that its geographic tongue but most people who have geographic tongue notice their white/red pattern changes frequently.  Have you noticed that or has it started to change recently only?

The only way to completely rule out cancer is to have a biopsy performed and looked under a microscope.  But if your dentist has ruled it out clinically, I would keep an eye on it and try the anti-fungals.  If it improves, great.  If not, then you may want to consider a biopsy if it changes, gets worse, etc.