Many people had that white, slimy, and gooey substance inside the walls of their mouths at least once. For many, this problem occurs every morning/day and doesn't go away so easily. Many who have this problem also don't know what causes it.
I have noticed I've been getting some stuff that's coming out of my mouth like skin is kind of nasty and I'm wondering what it can be I don't know but it's just started happening?
People reported in the discussion to have this stringy thing on the bottom of their mouths behind their teeth. It was described as if a piece of floss is stuck between teeth. I had the same stringy stuff and discovered that I cannot use gel toothpaste. Some participants told that they experienced this every morning while having their coffee. Others also reported that drinking hot beverages, especially after using antiseptic mouthwash causes the thin layer of skin that lines the mouth to peel like a sunburn, so they get slime in their mouth. For many, the dentist concluded that it was epidermia (skin) peeling off from their gums.
Many who participated in this discussion noticed that a peeling of the oral mucosa usually happens when they use certain toothpastes and mouthwash, especially those that have more aggressive chemicals as their ingredients, leading to dry mouth which somehow contributes to the formation of these strings. Dry mouth may be prominent in mouth breathers.
If the white tongue is present besides white strings, that can be indicative of thrush (yeast), leukoplakia (which is normally harmless), or lichen planus, which should be observed because it can indicate an increased risk of oral cancer, however not necessarily.
Few participants also noticed blood, however, this could rarely be attributed to white strings, but rather other oral conditions.
Many blamed whitening toothpastes, claiming that they notice the problem after using one of these. However, dry mouth is more likely a culprit for white strings, as one member noticed:
I’m 56 years old and before the “whitening” toothpaste was put on the market, I have had the white stringy stuff, and a very dry mouth.
Another participant also pointed that dry mouth should be considered a main cause for white strings and a culprit behind possible complications.
The dry mouth is the issue I would be most concerned about--dry mouth lends itself to increased bacterial activity and damage to teeth.
Other participants mentioned calcium carbonate, aka Tums Rolaids, like baking soda produces that they cause excessively dry mouth, which causes the white stringy film in mouth known as cotton mouth. Many managed to get rid of the white strings after brushing their teeth for 5 minutes while foaming all over. However, white strings would usually return.
While white strings in the mouth are nothing to worry about, they may also indicate serious condition that requires medical treatment, such as fungal or yeast overgrowth, or some sort of infection.
One participant reported having this problem for years until the rheumatologist discovered he had Sjögren's Syndrome with dry mouth, dry eyes, and swollen lymph nodes.
What do experts say?
Dry mouth (clinically termed xerostomia) is a most common cause of forming a white stringy plaque in mouth. Xerostomia occurs when salivary glands can no longer produce normal saliva flow due to mouth breathing while sleeping, age, dehydration, illnesses, medications, use of CPAP machines for sleep apnea, cancer treatment, and more.
Saliva production is a vital bodily function as it helps protect the mouth from infection by controlling bacteria, keeping the mouth moist and clean from dead mouth lining cells and food particles that have accumulated on the tongue, gums and teeth, and neutralizing the acids produced by dental plaque. Saliva also helps with digestion by making it possible to chew, taste, and swallow food.
Dry mouth is a very common condition that affects about 20% of all people in the world and is more prevalent in women than men.
Dry mouth is often seen as a side effect of various types of medications or as a symptom of a disease, such as diabetes, Sjögren's syndrome, scleroderma, or Alzheimer’s disease.
Signs and symptoms of dry mouth
People suffering from dry mouth may experience some of the following signs and symptoms:
- Tooth decay
- White film on the tongue (also known as oral thrush) that happens due to excessive growth of a normal yeast fungus which sometimes flourishes in a dry mouth
- Rough dry tongue
- Metallic taste in mouth
- Bad breath (halitosis)
- A burning or tingling sensation in the mouth
- Thick or stringy saliva
- Difficulty swallowing and chewing
- Mouth sourness or ulcers
- Dry, sore, and cracked lips in the corners of the mouth
Dry mouth can lead to further problems, including tooth decay, disturbed sleep, a constant burning sensation in the throat, difficulty speaking or swallowing, dry nasal passages, gum disease, and oral infections, such yeast infections that attack the tongue.
Treatment of dry mouth
The treatment of dry mouth depends on what's causing it. People may try to do some things to relieve dry mouth, however, only temporarily. To treat it successfully and long-term, you need to address its cause.
People can try following to relieve the dry mouth:
- Chewing gum or suck on hard candies to stimulate the flow of saliva (opt for sugar-free options)
- Limiting your caffeine intake because caffeine can make the mouth drier
- Avoiding sugary or acidic foods and drinks
- Avoiding mouthwashes that contain alcohol because they can also cause or worsen dry mouth
- Quitting smoking or chewing tobacco
- Drinking plenty of water to stay hydrated
- Breathing through nose
- Avoiding over-the-counter antihistamines and decongestants because they can make the symptoms worse
- Brushing with a fluoride toothpaste
- Visiting your dentist at least twice yearly to detect and treat tooth decay or other oral and dental problems.
If these steps don't help, you need to address your dry mouth problem to your doctor or dentist, because the cause could be more serious, such as another condition.
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Discussion highlights
What symptoms have been reported?
- I had the same stringy stuff and discovered that I cannot use gel toothpaste.
- I experience this every morning while having my coffee at work.
- For me, drinking hot beverages after using antiseptic mouthwash causes the thin layer of skin that lines the mouth to peel like a sunburn, so you get slime.
- at first I thought it was coming out of my one tooth but after two visits to the dentist, he concluded that it was epidermia (skin) peeling off from my gums.
- I'm a mouth breather and believe dryness somehow contributes to the formation of these strings.
- Also, my mouth is super dry most of the time.
- I, too, have had sticky, white, stringy saliva for many, many months.
- inside of mouth has white stringy stuff every morning and tongue is white and coated.
- mouth is rough inside swells somewhat it has been over a year now.dentist doesn't know.
- I use whitening toothpaste to but I don't think it's that as sometimes I don't get it and it's only in the morning when I can feel it or see it on the inside of my lips and my tongue isn't dry so I don't understand where it's coming from.
- In fact, the strings started after I began using Sensodyne regularly.
- I have this issue but have recently started using whitening toothpaste.
- I have his stringy thing on the bottom of my mouth behind my teeth.
- It's on the way bottom of my mouth.
- It used to freak me out because I just brushed and flossed and used Listerine.
- It could be the oral mucosa peeling and can be caused from certain toothpaste and mouthwash use.
- This is similiar to exfoliating of the skin.
- Now, this has been going on for about two months, and the only thing I am doing differently, is eating home-made crunchies which are rather chewy (not to mention yummy), and full of seeds, nuts, granola, and everything healthy.
- I can only conclude that it's the roughness of the crunchies, or something in the crunchies that are affecting my gums.
- My symptoms started when I began using a Waterpik, which lends credence to reports of this being gum tissue that is somehow loosened and rolled up.
- Now, the white tongue CAN be indicative of thrush (yeast), leukoplakia (which is normally harmless), or lichen planus, which should be observed because it can (not necessarily does) indicate an increased risk of oral cancer.
- Since I typed the above post, I have been researching this health issue, and I strongly believe that my mother has a candida infection.
- The candida fungus is behind a very great many other health issues, as well.
- I think I have oral cancer.
- and it felt like the skin came off in my mouth.
- and was rough.
- and one time started to bleed a little.
- then my mouth went like super dry.
- and my skin was sticking to my teeth.
- all this made me wonder if I had a fungal sinus infection from my acrylic paints I use.
- as they get moldy over time while I'm working on the same painting.
- sensodyne is also doing the same, I just use that and get the same reaction as stated above, "goooey white stringy stuff in my mouth.
- I had the same problem for years until the rheumatologists discovered I had Sjøgrens Syndrome with dry mouth and dry eyes, swullen lymphs.
- I asked them about the white slime threads in my mouth and they said decreased saliva changes the protein content so this could be the reason.
- She is complaining of strings and "staples", "stickers", etc.
- in her mouth.
- She is constantly pulling at her mouth or rubbing her tongue to get the strings out.
- I started using an oral B whitening toothpaste and since then have had that awful stringy stuff.
- This all makes complete sense to me.
- I have had this stringy stuff for the last 4/5 days and I switched to crest pro health a little less than 2 weeks ago!
- As soon as I stopped using Sensodyne whitening toothpaste the white stringy stuff disappeared.
- However, this could also be an effect of tartar control type toothpaste (its not a brand).
- if your toothpaste has tartar control, start using a plain, normal toothpaste, if it doesn't stop after a month.
- sorry bro, you got thrush.
- I have this also , but it started dince I used sencidyne tooth paste and I havent totally been rinsing it well ,as I thought you should leave a residue to build up to add protection !
- I also have this stringy stuff and white stuff and dryness not always thrush, I have so greens disease I don't produce saliva causes dry mouth not a lot you can do.
- Hi you guys should get it checked up white patches through out the mouth could be sign of oral cancer but, but don't get to worried it mostly of this cases are that your skin from of the mouth could be coming of because of hard toothbrush or whittling toothpaste of it could be fungus
- I just switch to the Crest Pro Health toothpaste and I have the same problem.
- I only started getting it when I used Crest pro health and that seems to be the same toothpaste other people with this use!
- Buying new toothpaste today!
- I use colgate, and I still get this!
- For me it happen when I started using SENSODYNE extra whitening.
- I've always wondered what caused that stringy stuff.
- One brushing with Pronamel last night and my mouth is free of that yucky stuff.
- My 92 year old mom is also bothered by this for at least 6 months now and we have been to three dentists who all day her teeth are fine and can not see any stringy stuff at all!
- Only recommended change toothpaste,use biotene products for dry mouth.
- I just started using a different mouthwash and I just noticed this symptom about an hour or so after I rinse!
- I began using listerine mouthwash again around the same time it started.
- I'm going to look for something more natural.
- It's definitely skin or the layer of mucous membrane inside the mouth shedding.
- this is exactly when I got it, using crest pro.
- To all with the stringy stuff it's not f*****g toothpaste or God damn mouthwash.
- Its a pericite worm it is transparent.
- It lives in your gums saliva glands.
- Stomach started feeling bad next day.
- Today the 4.3.16It's been twelve days mouth hair feeling.
- I have had this on + off as long as I can remember, it always happens after brushing my teeth, so I came to the conclusion it was toothpaste + long before whitening toothpaste was invented.
- Dude there was in the very back of my throat fiber.
- I can't poop it's always there's and I just put 15000 in my mouth and the dentist genus acts stupid.
- I just use the arm and hammer peroxide toothpaste and was wondering why the he'll I had this elastic jelly white string come out my mouth, when I just brushed my mouth clean.
- I also use Sensodine Tartar and get this.
- The toothpaste (crest) is the problem.i too experienced it, ever since i switch to it i have feeling it like between my teeth , not too much just some type of stringy white thingi.
- It is not tooth paste I've tried them all.
- Same thing has happened to me recently, I started using oral B 3D whitening toothpaste which has brought on some white stringy skin not my mouth.
- I realize this post was written about a year ago , but I have the same thing , it started when I started using a tongue scraper , and I was told ( it may have said this on the box) that it's a layer of your tongue ,and it's from brushing your tongue to briskly, IE.
- I've read a lot of these that have been answered, but, i do not have a white tongue what so ever.
- I been like this for two years no dentist nor my primary doctor knows what it is I was checked for cancer no trush I am going to see a Gastro doctor to see what this could be since I had work fine to my teeth been like this if anybody has an answer I would like to know
- This is not fungus, lots of people have it it's normal, all it is is the top layer of skin in your mouth coming off.
- Don't think I had the white strings when I used Crest tatar control etc.
- Will change toothpaste and see if that helps it ca be embarasing if you have to pull strings from your mouth.
- It is due to digestive problem or gastritis.
- I've been using it for two years and getting the white stringy stuff in my mouth.
- exept its not stringey or jelly, it is patches of skin-like, brown, stuff.
- I and two of my grown children also had this problem until my son said he could only use Close Up toothpaste and it worked for all of us.
- I have noticed I've been getting some stuff that's coming out of my mouth like skin is kind of nasty and I'm wondering what it can be I don't know but it's just started happening
- This slime stretches like elastic and its gross.
- I just started pulling stringy pearly white things out of my mouth that felt gooey.
- I thought they were some sort of worm but they weren't moving.
- I’m 56 years old and before the “whitening” toothpaste was put on the market, I have had the white stringy stuff, and a very dry mouth.
- I’ve not had the “white tongue.”I’ve constantly have to have a drink in my hands (non alcoholic) to keep my mouth moist.
- I brush and floss daily, and still get these nagging, stringy white things.
- Almost immediately I started getting the white stringy things but didn't make the connection.
- Seem u r right, I had this stringy stuff after switching to whitening tooth paste.
- I have been using Sensodyne toothpaste and still get the stringy white things in the morning when I wake up.
- Actually, I too am now convinced, that it is the Crest Pro Health toothpaste, that is causing this white stringy like substance in the mouth after waking up.
- It only started, when I started using the Crest Pro Health toothpaste.
- I️ know a white tongue can also indicate dehydration.
- The emergency room doctors said to look at the tongue and if it had a white coating that what it was.
- I️ use sensitive toothpaste and I️ get it from time to time.
- I have a white tongue s I hardly drink, is that why it is white?
- The hydrogen peroxide in the mouthwash will produce that stringy stuff.
- I have the exact same problem and it started shortly after I began using listerine whitening pre-rinse mouthwash before I brush.
- It feels like I’m swishing a mouthful of hydrogen peroxide.
- At first I figured it was because of the mouthwash doing it’s job and getting rid of yucky stuff in my mouth but I started to worry and googled it and it led me here.
- I have had this problem for quite a few years now and I know that I do not drink enough water.
- This never happened to me until I started used listerine before bed.
- I dont even use toothpaste, i use misiwak and floss, and never had this issue until using listerine.
- same exact thing, i used crest whitening toothpaste and got the white stringy stuff.
- Calcium carbonate, aka Tums Rolaids, like baking soda produces execessive dry mouth, which causes the white stringy film in mouth known as cotton mouth.
- Some types of Sensodyne cause the white, stringy film to form inside the mouth as well, as happened to me lately.
- I too have had these 2 little white growth on my tongue they look like little fangs.
- I have had it now for 2 mths will be seeing a DR this week.
- My mouth is always dry and feel almost like I burnt it—
- I only seem to get the stringy stuff when I use a certain mouthwash.
- I use Pro Health and other Crest toothpaste and it happens when I use the wrong type of Listerene.
- It can also be a sign of Candida which is an over growth of yeast which can be cured by a strict Candida diet.
- This helped a lot because I just brushed and this stringy stuff came in my mouth right after I used this toothpaste that made my mouth super dry, so I think that’s what happened to me.
- This only happens to me when I use Listerine Total Care mouthwash.
- I stop using it and no more issues.
- Well I have been using sensodyne for about 3 months now and as I reply to your post, I am doing a research on what could possibly be causing this disgusting white stringy stuff that has suddenly developed in my mouth over the last 2 weeks.I should say that I am quite relieved that it could change, now that I will try to change my toothpaste.
- though I do not get the white tongue I do have the stringy stuff in my mouth
- I switched to a whitening toothpaste and that was when this started happening to me also.
- It is like a piece of floss is stuck between teeth.
- I had deep root cleaning and this popped up.
What could be causing the problem?
- My symptoms started when I began using a Waterpik, which lends credence to reports of this being gum tissue that is somehow loosened and rolled up.
- I'm a mouth breather and believe dryness somehow contributes to the formation of these strings.
- I have an autoimmune disorder, and have a serious infection.
- I get it when I've used whitening toothpastes and Colgate Pro Relief, tis horrible!
- I used to smoke for 3 years and drink also.
- sensodyne is also doing the same, I just use that and get the same reaction as stated above, "goooey white stringy stuff in my mouth.
- Same thing happened to me with the use of Crest Pro Health.
- It probably occurs with other whitening pastes.
- I had the same problem for years until the rheumatologists discovered I had Sjøgrens Syndrome with dry mouth and dry eyes, swullen lymphs.
- I started using an oral B whitening toothpaste and since then have had that awful stringy stuff.
- Sjogrens can cause this as well.
- For me it happen when I started using SENSODYNE extra whitening.
- I believe the white dried saliva in the morning was the result of the body's response to breathing problem at night.
- I personally think it relates to an infection you may have in another part of your body, and aren’t aware of.
What treatments and remedies have been suggested?
- I'm will stop using toothpaste unless I can find Pronamel, begin using Biotene products, and rinse with sesame oil.
- From the beginning, I brushed my teeth, followed by a good brushing with salt, and finally using grape juice as a mouthwash.
- Oil pulling is done by rinsing with a teaspoon of coconut or sesame oil for 15 min.
- Try gargling with salt water instead.
- Now I am convinced the mucus in the mouth is due to dehydration and in future I will be drinking much more water and aim for 6 cups a day.
- need an anti fungal mouth rinse or if it is systemic you will need an anti fungal such as diflucan and i recommend in the future not eating sugar or high fructose corn syrup as it promotes fungal growth and infection.
- Sometimes my doctor gives me a med for yeast infection and that works.
- We are both taking Zithromax, Diflucan, a probiotic, Ivermectin every three weeks, and I take Plaquinel.
- I have tried Repepsa tablet and Anesthetic antiacid syrup.
In conclusion
White stringy thing in mouth is usually nothing to worry about. It is most likely skin that peels off usually because of the dry mouth (xerostomia). However, it is recommended to check any changes in mouth with doctor or dentist because they can be sign of more serious condition.