White tongue - almost every person has encountered such a symptom in his life. This phenomenon scares some, while others do not pay attention. Which of them is right? White tongue can sometimes be observed in an absolutely he althy person. But it may indicate a serious illness.
Limits of normal
Why is there a white coating on the tongue? Almost everyone has this symptom in the morning. The situation is related to the fact that at night salivation stops or is at a minimum level.
But bacteria are still active in the oral cavity. The products of their vital activity are not washed off with saliva, and the person wakes up with a coating. If it is easily removed during morning hygiene procedures, then there is nothing to worry about.
But in the case when a toothbrush does not help, this is the first "bell" that you need to see a doctor and undergo an examination. It is advisable to take a general blood and urine test, as well as undergo an ultrasound examination of the abdominal cavity.
Whiteplaque on the tongue: causes, signs and symptoms
If this symptom is accompanied by other manifestations, then the person should pay attention to them and take action:
- swelling and enlargement of the tongue;
- tooth prints on it;
- feeling dry or, conversely, strong salivation;
- enlarged papillae;
- pain;
- bad breath;
- bloom increases in the evening.
If these symptoms have been noticed at least once, it is advisable to observe their further manifestation. Sometimes this condition can be observed after a "fun" feast or overeating. In this case, the situation will change for the better the next day.
But if the symptoms do not go away, but increase, then it is advisable not to delay going to the doctor so as not to miss the time when the disease can be de alt with at home, and not in the hospital.
Pathological form
What does white coating on the tongue mean in an adult? First of all, I would like to note that many conditions can be the cause. But first, consider the pathological symptoms.
- In normal condition, the film may appear but be thin and translucent. The thickness of the plaque indicates the severity of the disease. If the tongue is practically invisible through it, then we can safely say about the development of an infectious process or the activation of a chronic pathology.
- The color of plaque is a very valuable diagnostic feature for any doctor. If it is cloudy and approaches yellow, then this isa sign of disruption of the gastrointestinal tract.
- In smokers and coffee drinkers, their bad habits can cause a white coating on the tongue. Treatment in this case involves giving up your addictions.
- Pathological raids have a special structure. It is most often curdled, oily, moist, or too dry.
There is an opinion that each zone on the surface of the tongue corresponds to the work of a particular organ. Therefore, localizing spots can help you figure out which system is having problems.
Halitosis is an obligatory flight companion
Very often with this symptom, a person has bad breath. If it remains after hygiene procedures, then this is a reason to see a doctor.
Halitosis most often occurs when:
- poor oral hygiene;
- development of dental caries;
- poor gastrointestinal function;
- endocrine disorders;
- appears during diets.
Bad breath may be due to smoking, poor quality food.
Gastrointestinal problems
One of the main reasons for the formation of white plaque on the tongue is the poor functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. If a patient comes with such a complaint, the doctor first of all excludes or confirms pathologies in this organ system.
Why did an adult's tongue turn white? Gastritis may be the cause. This disease is accompanied by a bitter or sour taste in the mouth. The tongue may swell a little. Plaque covers almost allsurface. Only the tip of the tongue and its lateral parts are not affected. The appearance of a grayish tint indicates a deterioration in the patient's condition.
Chronic gastritis has slightly different symptoms. White coating on the tongue is localized in the middle or at its base. Over time, a yellowish tint appears. The papillae are significantly enlarged.
Before, when doctors did not have diagnostic equipment at their disposal, they often determined the disease by the condition and color of the tongue. Now such an examination can only push the doctor to a certain type of examination.
A stomach ulcer can also be the cause of a white coating in an adult on the tongue. Treatment will be aimed at scarring erosions on the mucosa of the organ. Sometimes this disease is not treated without surgery.
Enterocolitis and pancreatitis
These conditions also cause this symptom to appear. Most often, yellow clusters appear on the back of the tongue. With pancreatitis, the papillae on the tongue noticeably increase.
A person experiences severe dry mouth. The epithelium may peel off a little. This symptom is considered one of the main ones in the diagnosis of pancreatitis.
If the disease worsens, the plaque increases in thickness and turns noticeably yellow. It is very difficult to remove, even with the effort of a toothbrush. Treatment in this case is aimed at supporting the process of production of enzymes by the gland.
In this case, digestion is normalized, and the person gets visible relief. If stateallows for therapy at home, then you can take "Pancreatin" before each meal. It is advisable to gradually cancel the drug after easing the condition. Otherwise, the pancreas will get used to not working at full capacity, and the disease will begin to progress again.
White coating on the tongue is not the only symptom of these diseases. The patient regularly feels heaviness in the stomach, heartburn, vomiting, pain in the right side of the abdomen. Sometimes it can be shingles. Therefore, the patient may feel discomfort in the lower back, and even in the region of the heart.
Infectious component
Spots and raids on the tongue can also occur with other diseases. Often this phenomenon appears during infectious processes. In patients with sore throat, such spots form not only on the tongue, but also on the tonsils and the inner sides of the cheeks.
The patient experiences pain while swallowing saliva and eating. The spots may either increase or decrease. They cannot be forcibly erased. It is advisable to only slightly wipe the inflamed areas with a gauze swab, which can be moistened in a solution of chamomile or in ready-made pharmaceutical preparations:
- "Stomatidine";
- "Angelix";
- sage tincture, etc.
Such procedures are preferably carried out after meals. Thus, food debris is removed, and the bacteria do not strongly attack the already inflamed mucosa. Various throat sprays are very helpful:
- "Ingalipt";
- "Orosept";
- "Tandum Verde";
- "Angileks" and others.
Medicated lozenges can be used for temporary relief when the patient feels severe pain. They relieve irritation and reduce inflammation. In severe cases, angina is prescribed broad-spectrum antibiotics.
Dysbacteriosis
Improper diet and long-term use of potent drugs lead to disruption of the microflora in the intestines and cause a white tongue in an adult. Treatment must be prescribed urgently in order to stop the process in time. Otherwise, the "good" bacteria stop multiplying and are suppressed by the pathogenic ones.
A person may experience problems with stool, poor appetite and rumbling in the stomach. And also a white coating appears on the tongue. It most often has an uneven texture, similar to curd mass.
In order for the symptom to go away, you need to drink a course of probiotics. They contain positive bacteria. And also the tool promotes the independent reproduction of these organisms.
Drugs received very good reviews:
- "Linex";
- "Bifiform";
- "Yogurt";
- "Bio Gaia";
- "Enterogermina", etc.
It is desirable that the course lasts at least a month. Otherwise, dysbacteriosis may return again and the white tongue too.
Stomatitis
It seems to many that this disease develops only in infancy. This is verywrong opinion. Adults also suffer from stomatitis. Symptoms of this disease appear almost the same as in children.
The only thing is that the temperature may not rise very high. In adults, immunity is already more developed, and the body's resistance is already better. But in the mouth, namely on the tongue and inside the lips, red spots appear.
At first they look like little corns. Then the spots are covered with a white film. During this period, the patient feels pain while eating and swallowing saliva.
Very often in adults there is stomatitis with a sharp decrease in immunity. In this case, any infection in the oral cavity leads to the development of the disease. Some people suffer from the chronic form and experience unpleasant symptoms at regular intervals. In this case, it is necessary to direct all efforts to raising immunity.
Treatment
To relieve the symptoms, you need to treat the oral cavity with special solutions. You can dilute the Furacilin tablet in a glass of warm water. A gauze swab is dipped into the liquid and plaque is removed with light movements.
Then you can start processing with a solution of soda. To prepare it, you need to mix a teaspoon of soda and 100 ml of water. Then, as in the first case, the mucosa is treated.
Holisal has a good effect on this disease. This ointment temporarily anesthetizes wounds and promotes their healing. It should be noted that duringapplication, the patient may experience a strong burning sensation that disappears in 15-20 seconds.
Not bad removes inflammation from the mucosa "Stomatidine". This is a ready-made solution that you need to rinse your mouth or lubricate stains separately.
How to tell which organ system is out of order?
White coating on the tongue in normal and pathological conditions may indicate problems in the operation of a particular system:
- heart - surrounded by the tip of the tongue and its front part;
- respiratory - area on the side of the tip;
- kidneys – sides and back third heavily covered;
- GIT - the entire tongue is covered with a yellowish coating;
- endocrine system - can be localized in certain areas, when you try to remove the film, open wounds form.
These indicators do not mean a 100% indication of the diagnosis, but you can roughly know in which direction to move regarding the diagnosis.
How to prevent occurrence?
If a person does not have concomitant chronic diseases, then in order to avoid the appearance of plaque, a number of simple rules must be followed.
- Perform regular hygiene procedures (2 times a day).
- Properly brush your teeth in a circular motion - from top to bottom.
- The tongue must be cleaned with a special tool. It is made of rubber and is worn on the finger. On such a peculiar brush, pimples are located in several rows. With gentle movements, it is necessary to clean the white coating on the tongue.
- AfterRinse your mouth every time you eat. You can just plain water at room temperature or decoction of chamomile. And now in pharmacies they sell ready-made solutions. They not only help keep your mouth in order, but also remove bad breath.
- Rejection of bad habits and normalization of nutrition will help to avoid the appearance of plaque on the tongue.
It is very important to have regular check-ups with a therapist. Thus, almost any disease can be detected at an early stage and measures can be taken to treat it.
This rule is especially important in relation to the gastrointestinal tract. Because many deviations in his work in a short time turn into chronic forms, and then you can only put the disease into remission. But with any deviation in the diet, gastritis, pancreatitis, ulcers begin to worsen, and the patient begins his journey in treatment from the beginning.
