Normally, the human tongue is pale pink in color, it is soft and flexible, and an even fold and taste buds are clearly visible on the surface. But sometimes we find a strange coating on the tongue. This seemingly harmless symptom may indicate serious illness. We tell you what you should pay attention to in order not to lose your health.
The tongue is the mirror of the stomach
In diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, a change in the color of the tongue can be a very obvious symptom. Due to acute gastritis, a thick layer of light gray plaque may appear. Only the tip of the tongue and its sides will remain clean. Swelling and mucus may also appear. If gastritis is chronic, the plaque layer becomes denser, and when the acidity of gastric juice decreases, bright red spots sometimes appear on the tongue.
One of the common gastrointestinal diseases is gastroesophageal reflux disease(GERD). Its main symptom is heartburn. Patients also often complain of changes in sensitivity to tastes: the mucous membrane seems to be burned, and a dense light coating appears on its surface.
Gastric ulcers appear as a thick gray coating on the tip of the tongue that cannot be cleared. With a duodenal ulcer, swelling of the tongue is observed, often it becomes so enlarged that teeth marks become visible on its sides. If a peptic ulcer develops, a light-colored coating will appear on the back of the tongue.
What is “geographic language”?
In cases of dysfunction of the gallbladder, biliary tract, helminthic infestations, and atopic dermatitis, characteristic changes in the tongue often develop, which are called “geographic tongue.” Areas of hyperemia appear on its surface — redness, which alternate with areas of pale gray color. Over time, these areas change their location and color. They can merge with each other, forming a bizarre pattern that resembles the drawing of a geographical map.
Infections have their own color
Acute intestinal infections themselves are very clearly manifested by vomiting and diarrhea. In addition, because of them, the tongue becomes dry, and its surface is covered with a thick dark brown, almost black, coating.
With Vincent's ulcerative-necrotic stomatitis, the coating on the tongue is usually dirty green, with an unpleasant putrefactive odor. If such plaque is cleaned off, a slightly bleeding ulcer will open underneath.
Viral hepatitis is accompanied by jaundice — a condition in which, due to an increase in bile pigment in the blood, the skin and mucous membranes become yellow. The tongue is also susceptible to this symptom, which appears as a yellow coating.
Scarlet fever and chicken pox can also cause a coating on the tongue. In the first case, it will be light gray or light yellow — it lasts 5-6 days, and then disappears, leaving behind redness. In the second, in addition to the usual blistering rashes associated with chickenpox, a light coating may appear.
With pneumonia, a greenish or brownish coating may appear. COVID-19 can also indirectly lead to plaque formation. Due to drug treatment, the balance of microflora in the mouth is disturbed and, for example, fungi can grow there.
Non-dangerous options
In adults, the tongue sometimes acquires a strange color due to completely harmless reasons. Coffee can turn it brownish, beet salad and other colored foods can also temporarily change the appearance of the organ. In long-term smokers, the tongue becomes yellow-brown.
There is also a morning raid. If you wake up in the morning and find a light “veil” on your tongue, do not rush to diagnose yourself with all the diseases in the world. A slight coating that is easily cleaned off in adults is considered normal.
In the first months of life, children often develop a white, loose coating — this is candidiasis or thrush. It cannot be called completely harmless; after all, it is a fungal infection. However, this is a common phenomenon, most often children become infected from mothers, most of whom have Candida fungi actively multiplying in the vagina in the late stages of pregnancy.
In general, to get rid of plaque you need to clean your tongue; if the problem does not go away, you should consult a doctor to find out the root cause of the disease.