Oral Health

A yellow tongue is almost always a stained bacterial coating — here's what causes it, how to clean it in about a week, and the one sign that means you should see a doctor instead.

A white tongue is almost always a harmless coating of bacteria and debris — here's what causes it, how to clean it in days, and the rare signs that mean you should see a dentist.

Bad breath is caused by volatile sulphur compounds released by anaerobic bacteria on the back of your tongue and between your teeth — so a minty toothpaste masks the problem while a zinc or antibacterial formula actually targets it. Here is every bad breath toothpaste mechanism rated honestly, plus the three things no toothpaste can fix.