# What is the white stuff in my mouth after i brush my teeth **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 17, 2004, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-white-stuff-in-my-mouth-after-i-brush-my-teeth/255575 "2004-07-17T13:24:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2004, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-white-stuff-in-my-mouth-after-i-brush-my-teeth/255575/1 "2004-07-17T13:24:26Z")
I know its probably toothpaste or a mix of that and phlegm, but does anyone know for sure. After i brush my teeth i get this gummy white substance on the inside of my cheeks and near my gumline. It is too stringy to be toothpaste and too flexible to be anything totally organic. I would assume its toothpaste mixing with something like spit or phlegm but im not for sure. ---
**Author:** ![Catalyst](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e47774/32.png) [@Catalyst](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Catalyst)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2004, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-white-stuff-in-my-mouth-after-i-brush-my-teeth/255575/2 "2004-07-17T19:41:20Z")
No idea what it is, but I get the same thing. I think it might be a thin layer of skin from the cheek, but I don’t know if toothpaste is strong enough to do that. ---
**Author:** ![Carnac\_the\_Magnificent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Carnac\_the\_Magnificent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carnac_the_Magnificent)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2004, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-white-stuff-in-my-mouth-after-i-brush-my-teeth/255575/3 "2004-07-18T01:30:19Z")
> [@Wesley Clark](#): > > I know its probably toothpaste or a mix of that and phlegm, but does anyone know for sure. After i brush my teeth i get this gummy white substance on the inside of my cheeks and near my gumline. It is too stringy to be toothpaste and too flexible to be anything totally organic. I would assume its toothpaste mixing with something like spit or phlegm but im not for sure. What type of toothpaste? Don’t know if it’s the same thing, but when I use “Rembrandt” mouthrinse, it forms a couple of colorless (not white) stringy gelatinous things inside my mouth/cheeks. Weird, but kinda neat too. I like it so much, I’m up to four quarts a day. (bada bing) 😉 It never happens to me with Crest or Colgate toothpaste. ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2004, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-white-stuff-in-my-mouth-after-i-brush-my-teeth/255575/4 "2004-07-18T15:47:39Z")
1. Me, too. . . and 2. A gratuitous bump because inquiring minds want to know. ---
**Author:** ![Chairman\_Pow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/838e76/32.png) [@Chairman\_Pow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chairman_Pow)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2004, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-white-stuff-in-my-mouth-after-i-brush-my-teeth/255575/5 "2004-07-18T16:00:55Z")
WAG: I think it’s the foamed-up residue of whatever goes into the toothpaste (aluminum or calcium carobonate depending on what brand you use). Might also be the saccharin that they also put in there. I’ve noticed with my toothpaste (not that I recall what brand it is) that I don’t have that problem, but do get some fizziness in the ol’ yakker when I’m done that takes a couple mouthfuls to get rid of. ---
**Author:** ![deeart7](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dc4da7/32.png) [@deeart7](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/deeart7)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2011, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-white-stuff-in-my-mouth-after-i-brush-my-teeth/255575/6 "2011-07-18T18:47:49Z")
The answer - After much anxiety,web surfing, and experimentation by saving, then examining specimens of these string creatures, I believe to have found the answer. It was shortly after a good tooth brushing and gargling that I felt that substance in my mouth. Looking closey with a magnified Mirror, studied inside my mouth. Noticed the white skin membranes on the inner cheeks and white gook floating in the saliva. Answer – It’s shed skin which appears more frequently after cleaning the mouth with any substance that has a whitening agent. You can check yourself, gather a string thingy with your finger and stretch it out on a piece of paper. With your finger nail – spread it out. Our tongue or finger “roll up” the skin residue into a string like thing - what a relief!🙂 ---
**Author:** ![dewey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/919ad9/32.png) [@dewey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dewey)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2011, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-white-stuff-in-my-mouth-after-i-brush-my-teeth/255575/7 "2011-10-02T14:57:29Z")
> [@Catalyst](#): > > No idea what it is, but I get the same thing. I think it might be a thin layer of skin from the cheek, but I don’t know if toothpaste is strong enough to do that. im very glad i decided to google. i went to the store and found a 2 pack deal on crest pro-health toothpaste. i used to use toms of maine as suggested by a friend into all thats healthy and then one day she told me she even gave up on that brand but never really found out why. so i began just buying different toothpastes. i had relatives at the house and they asked me for toothpaste so i gave them nine and opened the new tubes of prohealth for me and my sons room. after a day i woke up today (3 uses) and have an incredible amount of stringy think white goo all over my mouth and tongue and my tongue seems to be stuck with this on the tip. im already a hypochondriac and have mouth problems and freaking out until i started googling. There were TONS of complaints about tha same product and same symptoms my goodness. Lucky for me its been a day; some of these people went for months and visited several dentists who had no idea what it could be. something needs to be done ASAP and i wanted to share with you all ---
**Author:** ![JBDivmstr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b4bc9f/32.png) [@JBDivmstr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JBDivmstr)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2011, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-white-stuff-in-my-mouth-after-i-brush-my-teeth/255575/8 "2011-10-02T21:25:40Z")
> [@deeart7](#): > > The answer - After much anxiety,web surfing, and experimentation by saving, then examining specimens of these string creatures, I believe to have found the answer. > It was shortly after a good tooth brushing and gargling that I felt that substance in my mouth. Looking closey with a magnified Mirror, studied inside my mouth. Noticed the white skin membranes on the inner cheeks and white gook floating in the saliva. Answer – It’s shed skin which appears more frequently after cleaning the mouth with any substance that has a whitening agent. You can check yourself, gather a string thingy with your finger and stretch it out on a piece of paper. With your finger nail – spread it out. Our tongue or finger “roll up” the skin residue into a string like thing - what a relief!🙂 TMI! ---
**Author:** ![Ruby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/13edae/32.png) [@Ruby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruby)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2011, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-white-stuff-in-my-mouth-after-i-brush-my-teeth/255575/9 "2011-10-02T23:55:14Z")
Ignorance fought. I’ve never had it but my g/f gets it all the time and it grosses her out. Glad to know it’s not some alien life form slime.