White tongue - almost every person in his life has encountered such a symptom. This phenomenon is frightening for some, while others do not pay attention. Which of them is right? White tongue can sometimes be observed in an absolutely healthy person. But it can indicate a serious illness.
Normal limits
Why is there a white coating on the tongue? In almost everyone, this symptom appears in the morning. The situation is due to the fact that at night the salivation stops or is at a minimum level.
But bacteria still carry on their activity in the oral cavity. The products of their livelihood do not wash off with saliva, and a person wakes up with a bloom. If it is easily removed during morning hygiene procedures, then there is nothing to worry about.
But in the case when the 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.
White plaque on the tongue: causes, signs and symptoms
If this symptom is accompanied by other manifestations, then a person should pay attention to them and take measures:
- swelling and enlarged tongue;
- teeth prints on it;
- a feeling of dryness or, conversely, severe salivation;
- enlarged papillae;
- painful sensations;
- bad breath;
- by the evening the plaque increases.
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 next day the situation will change for the better.
But if the symptoms do not go away, but increase, then it is advisable not to postpone the visit to the doctor so as not to miss the time when the disease can be managed at home, and not in the hospital.
Pathological form
What does white plaque mean in an adult's tongue? First of all, I want to note that the cause can be many conditions. But first, consider 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 language is practically invisible through it, then we can safely say about the development of the infectious process or the activation of chronic pathology.
- Plaque color is a very valuable diagnostic sign for any doctor. If it is cloudy and approaches yellow, then this is a sign of a violation of the gastrointestinal tract.
- For smokers and coffee lovers, their bad habits can be the cause of a white coating on the tongue. Treatment in this case involves the abandonment of one's addictions.
- Pathological raids have a special structure. It is most often curdled, oily, wet or too dry.
There is an opinion that each zone on the surface of the tongue corresponds to the work of a certain organ. Therefore, the localization of spots can help to figure out which system is the problem.
Halitosis - a compulsory plaque companion
Very often, with such a symptom, a person has bad breath. If he remains after carrying out hygiene procedures, then this is an occasion to consult a doctor.
Halitosis most often occurs with:
- poor oral hygiene;
- the development of tooth decay;
- poor gastrointestinal tract;
- endocrine disorders;
- manifested during diets.
Bad breath can be due to smoking, the use of poor-quality foods.
Gastrointestinal problems
One of the main reasons for the formation of white plaque in the tongue is the poor functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. If the patient comes with such a complaint, then the doctor first of all excludes or confirms pathologies in this system of organs.
Why did the 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 slightly. Plaque covers almost the entire surface. Not 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 several other symptoms. White plaque in the tongue is localized in the middle or on its base. Over time, a yellowish tint appears. The papillae increase significantly.
Previously, 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 cause white plaque in an adult on the tongue. Treatment will be aimed at scarring erosion on the mucous organ. Sometimes, without surgery, this disease is not treated.
Enterocolitis and pancreatitis
These conditions also cause the appearance of such a symptom. 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 in the diagnosis of pancreatitis.
If the disease worsens, the plaque increases in thickness and noticeably turns yellow. It is very difficult to remove, even with a toothbrush. Treatment in this case is aimed at supporting the process of enzyme production by the gland.
In this case, digestion is normalized, and the person receives visible relief. If the condition allows for therapy at home, then you can take "Pancreatinum" before each meal. After relief, it is advisable to gradually discontinue the drug. Otherwise, the pancreas will not get used to working at full strength, and the disease will again begin to progress.
White plaque on the tongue is not the only symptom in these diseases. The patient regularly feels heaviness in the stomach, heartburn, vomiting, pain in the right side of the abdomen. Sometimes it can be herpes zoster. 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 occur with other diseases. Often this phenomenon appears during infectious processes. In patients with angina, such spots form not only in the tongue, but also on the tonsils and inner sides of the cheeks.
The patient experiences pain while swallowing saliva and eating. Spots can increase or decrease. They must not be washed by force. It is advisable only to 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
- tincture of sage, etc.
Such procedures are preferably performed after meals. In this way, food debris is removed, and the bacteria do not attack the already inflamed mucosa strongly. Various throat sprays help very well:
- Ingalipt;
- "Orosept";
- Tandum Verde;
- Angileks et al.
For temporary relief, when the patient feels severe pain, medicinal lozenges can be used. They relieve irritation and reduce the inflammatory process. In severe cases with angina, broad-spectrum antibiotics are prescribed.
Dysbacteriosis
Improper nutrition and prolonged use of potent drugs lead to disruption of the microflora in the intestines and cause white tongue in an adult. Treatment must be prescribed urgently in order to stop the process in time. Otherwise, the "good" bacteria cease to multiply, and they are suppressed pathogenic.
A person may have problems with stools, poor appetite and rumbling in the stomach. And also a white coating appears on the tongue. It most often has an uneven structure, similar to a curd mass.
In order for the symptom to pass, it is necessary to drink a course of probiotics. They have positive bacteria in their composition. And also the tool promotes the independent reproduction of these organisms.
Very good reviews received drugs:
- Linex
- "Beefiform";
- "Yogurt";
- "Bio-gaya";
- "Enterogermina" and others.
It is advisable that the course lasts at least a month. Otherwise, dysbiosis can return again and the white tongue too.
Stomatitis
It seems to many that this disease develops only in infancy. This is a very erroneous opinion. Adults also suffer from stomatitis. Symptoms of this disease manifest almost in the same way as in children.
The only thing may not rise very high temperature. 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 small corns. Then the spots are covered with a white film. During this period, the patient feels pain during eating and swallowing saliva.
Very often, stomatitis occurs in adults 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 a chronic form and experience unpleasant symptoms at regular intervals. In this case, it is necessary to direct all forces to raising immunity.
Treatment
To alleviate symptoms, you need to treat the oral cavity with special solutions. You can dilute the tablet "Furacilina" in a glass of warm water. A gauze swab is dipped into the liquid and the plaque is removed with light movements.
Then you can start processing the soda solution. 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.
Good action in relation to this disease has Holisal. This ointment anesthetizes wounds for a while and promotes their healing. It is worth noting that during application, the patient may experience a strong burning sensation that passes in 15-20 seconds.
It removes inflammation from the mucous membrane "Stomatidin" not bad. This is a ready-made solution that needs to rinse your mouth or lubricate the spots separately.
How to determine which organ system is out of order?
White plaque in the language is normal and with pathologies can indicate problems in the operation of a certain system:
- heart - enclosed the tip of the tongue and its front part;
- respiratory - zone on the side of the tip;
- kidneys - strongly covered sides and hind third;
- GIT - the whole tongue is surrounded by a yellowish coating;
- endocrine system - can be localized in certain areas, when trying to remove the film open wounds form.
These indicators do not mean a 100% indication of the diagnosis, but you can roughly find out in which direction to move relative to the diagnosis.
How to prevent the occurrence?
If a person does not have concomitant chronic diseases, then in order to avoid the appearance of plaque, it is necessary to follow a number of simple rules.
- Regularly carry out hygiene procedures (2 times a day).
- Properly brush your teeth in circular motions - from top to bottom.
- The tongue must be cleaned with a special device. It is made of rubber and is worn on the finger. On such a peculiar brush, pimples are arranged in several rows. With gentle movements, it is necessary to clean the white coating on the tongue.
- After each meal, rinse your mouth. You can just plain water at room temperature or decoctions of chamomile. And also now in pharmacies they sell ready-made solutions. They not only help to keep the oral cavity in order, but also remove bad breath.
- Refusal of bad habits and normalization of nutrition will help to avoid the appearance of plaque in the tongue.
It is very important to regularly undergo scheduled examinations by 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 introduce 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 first.