Contents.In most cases, white spots that form on the tongue are usually harmless and may not call for any concern. They are usually a sign of a moderate dehydration that may require little or no intervention. However, there are some few cases of white spots on tongue that may appear as an alarming feature of an underlying condition in the body. In some instances, you may develop white tongue just from a collection of cellular debris, dead cells or even bacteria that give your tongue a white appearance.

1. White Tongue Toddler

How do white spots on tongue look like?There are many issues that result on the formation of white spots on your tongue. The appearance of the condition will majorly depend on the underlying cause.

Some spots can be quite small and even, while in other cases they may be large and irregular in shape. These spots on the tongue usually start on the sides of the tongue and then spread to the upper side of the tongue.Also, these spots will grow into a coating that covers the tongue. This may then continue growing to be quite thick or into a patch if quick intervention is not done.

In that case, you may realize a white coating appearing on the whole tongue, and it may start changing to other colors based on the foods you eat or bacteria that is caught in the coating. Why do I have a White Spot on my Tongue?Some white spots may appear with a bit of discomfort especially when you are brushing your teeth. Most of these spots or patches may stay for a short period of time and then go away on their own. However, it is important to involve your medical provider when you realize that this condition is causing a lot of discomfort or it is involved with other serious symptoms. There are very many conditions that are behind the appearance of a white tongue. Most of them we shall discuss below on the causes of white spots on tongue.

What are the symptoms associated with white spots on tongue?Apart from the white tongue, you may as well experience other symptoms depending on the underlying cause of the condition. Some of these symptoms may be a mild or in some cases severe. Therefore, expect the following other symptoms in association with the white coating on the tongue:. Sores on the sides of the tongue. Bumps on the tongues. Fever. Sore throat.

Itchiness and burning sensation especially while brushing or eating. Redness on the sides of the tongue. Painless white discoloration on tongue. Loss of taste and appetite. Dry mouth.

Painful white discoloration on the tongue. White lesions on the parts of the mouthIn cases of severe symptoms, do not hesitate to visit your doctor’s or dentist’s office. You may be dealing with a serious condition without your knowledge. White Spots on Tongue CausesThere are numerous conditions that may result to a white spots on tongue. It is a common condition that affects very many people.

The spots can appear suddenly on the tongue and in some cases they may just be lie bumps that are usually not a serious health problem. Also, infection could be the reason for those spots on tongue and this may need a checkup to be done by a dentist.From a traditional point of view, the white spots that form on the tongue could be caused by taking white meals. This believe about the coating of the tongue has not been proven scientifically and therefore we may not value it as one of the main reason for the condition. However, the following are some of the major causes of white spots on tongue:. Oral thrushAlso referred to as oral candidiasis, oral thrush is a fungal infection that is caused by a fungal family known as candida albicans.

The coating formed by this condition is usually described as creamy cottage cheese, and may be a bit hard to remove with scraping and if force is applied, it may cause bleeding. In most cases, the infection usually involves tongue but it may as well spread to the sides of the cheek, roof of the mouth, tonsils and other areas of the mouth.It has been found that the condition is very common in babies who are born by mothers with infected birth canal (with vaginal candidiasis). If it happens this is the case, the doctors usually advise that breast feeding should be stopped until the infection is controlled by the use of anti-fungal medication. LeukoplakiaThis is a condition that is commonly seen with white patches on the tongue. Apart from affecting the tongue, this condition can also cause white patches on the gums, lower part of the inner mouth and the inner cheeks as well.

Usually, the white spots on tongue develop from an overgrowth of tongue cells.It has been noticed that the condition is usually propagated by use of tobacco products although it can as well affect people who don’t smoke or chew tobacco. Also, too much use of alcohol may be linked to the overgrowth of tongue cells to cause white spots on tongue appearance. These white spots formed from leukoplakia are usually harmless and may not call for your concern especially if they are not painful.However, it is advisable to monitor this condition as it has been confirmed to be a precursor of mouth cancer, and therefore you may need to visit your dentist if the condition will not go away after a period of two weeks or so. Canker soresYour white spots on tongue could have been caused by a condition known as canker sores. This is a condition whereby you may develop small white ulcers on the tongue that usually are surrounded by red borders. Canker sores can also affect your inner lips, cheeks and gums. The sores that form on the tongue appear as white spots and may sometimes become inflamed and cause irritation that is very uncomfortable especially during meals or while carrying out your daily oral hygiene.Canker sores are very common and can affect anyone regardless age or gender.

However, they are commonly seen in toddlers and infants. The major cause of these sores in not known, but medical experts’ link them to poor immune system, stress, injury in the mouth, nutrients deficiency, tobacco use and fluctuation of hormones.Canker sores are normally not contagious but they can affect anyone who gets exposed to any of the causative agents we have talked about above. Dry mouthWhite spots on tongue could be as a result of dry mouth. If your mouth becomes excessively dry you may end up developing white patches on the tongue. Such kind of spots are usually not a cause for concern, however, they may be telling you that your body is experiencing some kind of dehydration. Such spots formed from dehydration should not increase in size or develop a fuzzy texture, though they may feel dry and uncomfortable. Oral lichen planusThis is a condition that usually causes the appearance of white spots on tongue that are raised.

The bumps formed may appear lace-like shape. Those who frequently develop white spots on their tongues or skin may be affected by this condition. It has been explained to be an allergic creation to hepatitis C. The spots may occur when you develop an allergic reaction due to exposure to a certain condition.The main cause of oral lichen planus is not known but it has been explained to be caused by use of tobacco products and poor oral hygiene practices. This may be also a risk since lesions from this condition can turn into cancer with extended exposure to tobacco use. Geographic tongueThis can also cause the appearance of white patches or spots on your tongue.

The patches formed are usually white and flaky, similar to the type of patches formed on the skin when one is suffering from eczema. Some medical specialists believe that such spots are an oral version of psoriasis, although others believe that this is an allergic reaction or the root of stress in the body. White spots on tongue from oral cancerThere are some types of oral cancer that can show up as white spots in the mouth or tongue. In case of an oral cancer, you may also develop white spots on the gums and in the throat apart from white spots on the tongue.

It has been noted that people who use tobacco frequently or alcohol are at the risk of developing oral cancer. Men have also been noted to be at the risk of developing such spots on their tongue. CoatingIf the white spots on your tongue start forming a white coating on the tongue, it could be just a normal coating that is built up. This type of coating is usually caused by remains of food particles on the tongue or increase in the dead cells on the tongue. In case you are sick, this coating may also be caused by mucus buildup due to the sickness. Lie bumpsLie bumps are usually white raised spots on the surface of the tongue.

You may develop a single or numerous bumps on the tongue surface. This is usually not a cause of concern since the spots formed on the tongue are usually harmless, and they usually clear off without any medical intervention. Single White Spot on TongueUsually, a single white spot on your tongue could be either a canker sore or a lie bump. Canker sores as we discussed above is usually a sore coated with a white layer of mucus and it may be seen with a reddish surrounding on its borders.A sore may appear on your tongue maybe from an injury where you bite your tongue accidentally, causing a fair minor damage to the tongue. When this happen, it is very common to have a somewhat tender, swollen spot that may appear as white and may slowly get better with time.

White Tongue Toddler

In some cases, with such type of an injury, an infection may penetrate in the opening.On the other hand, a lie bump is just a white spot that develop on the tongue and is usually harmless and a cause of no concern. In some cases, an individual may develop a lie bump and it disappears without even him/her noticing that he had appeared. Some people believe that it usually appear after lying to someone. That is just a believe and it has not be proven. White Spot on Back of Tongue CausesA white spot can also appear at the back of the back of your tongue. The bump that forms at the back of the tongue may form in different sizes depending on what caused it to appear. In general, the back of your tongue contains tiny natural bumps known as papillae that may not be seen easily.

Papillae may only be visible after some irritation that result from cold or throat infections has taken place. Some foods can also cause them to appear after an irritation thereby increasing in size.

Therefore, be careful with spicy foods, hot meals, a lot of salt and acidic foods. Also, poor oral hygiene may result in the accumulation of food particles at the back of your tongue thereby causing the formation of a white spot in the area. Food particles that remain in the debris at the back of your mouth may encourage bacteria or fungi to cause an infection which may result in white spots at the back of your tongue. Also, sexually transmitted diseases such as syphilis and HIV may cause the formation of white spots at the back of your tongue.What Causes White Spots on Tip of TongueIt is normally common to some people to develop a white spot at the tip of the tongue. All the conditions we have discussed above can cause a single bump at the tip of your tongue. If you are not sure of what is causing your white spots on tongue, you may visit your doctor to help you identify the underlying cause for your condition.However, some of the common causes of white spot on tip of the tongue may include canker sores due to injury, infection, and even allergic reaction. Why are White spots on Side of my TongueWhen it comes to white spots on the sides of your tongue, expect anything to be the cause start from allergy, injury, canker sores, irritation, infection and even mouth cancer.

In this case, the spots are well suited for diagnosis as you may not be sure of what is causing them. Your physician may evaluate you and want to know of your medical history.If the spots are on the lateral-most parts of your tongue on the both sides along where the teeth come together, then you may link them to bite injury. There are also tumor or cancer (neoplastic) processes that may start as whitish plagues on the sides of your tongue. Therefore, it is very important to involve your medical provider when it comes to white spots on the sides of your tongue.

How do you get Rid of White Spots on tongueSome spots on the tongue are usually harmless and may just disappear after a given period of time. Therefore, they may not call for your concern.

However, you may use home remedies or visit your nearby clinic depending on the seriousness of your white spots on tongue case for medication.Medical treatmentWhen it comes to medical treatment, it is not advisable to apply any medicine without the direction of a medical specialist or a chemist. Also, it may be important if you undergo some series of checkups and examinations to identify the cause of your white spots on tongue before commencing on a given treatment.However, treatments may mostly involve the use of oral drugs since we are dealing with oral treatment. Rarely will this involve injections and topical application. The oral medication may involve antibiotics, antifungals and pain relievers depending on the cause of the white spots on tongue. This is usually done in line with the doctor’s prescription. Home remediesFor home treatment, you may use the following steps to get rid of white spots on tongue very easily:.

Tea tree oilYou can prepare a solution by mixing with some water to come up with a solution you may use to gargle as a natural curing agent.