With the birth of a child, the usual rhythm of life of each family changes, and with the advent of the first baby, new-born parents also have many new questions that did not bother them before. For example, why does the baby have a white coating on the tongue? This phenomenon is quite common, but you should be able to distinguish between the harmless remnants of the milk mixture or breast milk from signs of a serious illness, which can also manifest as a white coating on the mucous membrane in the mouth.
What can a plaque indicate?
Most often, a white coating on the tongue of an infant occurs for natural and harmless reasons. Traces on the oral mucosa are only food debris, and since the baby eats exclusively milk or the milk mixture, they are white.
Such plaque accumulates in spots, does not form a film and is easily washed off with ordinary water. It is important to pay attention to the general well-being of the child, if the plaque does not cause him discomfort, the baby will also be active, cheerful and cheerful, appetite and stool will not change.
In cases where the baby has a white coating on the tongue and its behavior becomes restless, you should consult a doctor for an accurate diagnosis. Plaque may indicate the presence in his body:
- fungal disease;
- viral stomatitis;
- digestive system problems.
Also, a dense coating can appear due to antibiotic treatment as a kind of allergic reaction.
The most common factors
Only a specialist can determine the exact root cause of the appearance of white plaque in the tongue of an infant, but knowing the basic ones, parents can also cope with this task and simplify the diagnosis for a pediatrician. The most harmless reason, after food debris, will be the appearance of plaque when teething. At this stage, the baby's immunity weakens, and after the appearance of the first teeth, the plaque completely disappears, as the protective functions are restored.
Of course, the causes of white plaque on the tongue in infants can be more serious. Among them:
- avitaminosis;
- infectious diseases;
- inadequate hygiene;
- nervous disorders;
- diabetes;
- disorders of the digestive system.
Gastrointestinal organs represent a complex system, and violation of each of them separately can be determined by the color and location of the plaque:
- yellow or gray spots indicate difficulties in the work of the gallbladder and liver;
- a dense film throughout the tongue - for dysbiosis, poisoning or poor bowel function;
- plaque on the root of the tongue - on the difficulty in the functioning of the large intestine.
Of course, most often a white coating on the tongue of the baby immediately indicates a complex of problems.
Symptoms of dysbiosis
In any case, if the baby really has health problems, not only the appearance of plaque will indicate this to the parents, but also the restless behavior of their child. A white coating on the tongue of a baby-baby will prevent him from eating, causing discomfort and pain, so the baby is often capricious and refuses to breast or a bottle.
It is impossible to conduct an independent diagnosis of the disease at home, because to confirm dysbiosis, it is necessary to pass an analysis of the feces of the child to the laboratory. Only such a study can determine the presence of pathogenic microflora in the body. In this case, treatment is also prescribed by a specialist and is carried out in several stages, after which discomfort, plaque and other signs of the disease disappear.
Gastric acidity
The tongue can turn white in color from an increase in the level of acidity in the baby’s stomach. Children from this phenomenon do not suffer as much as adults, but still there is little pleasant in the situation. In addition, the wrong level of acidity prevents the absorption of necessary substances from food and subsequently leads to the manifestation of dysbiosis as well.
It is important to know that with this diagnosis, plaque accumulates in the middle of the tongue. In this case, the child’s behavior is restless, especially the first time after eating, because it is at such moments that transfusion of gastric juice into the esophagus is observed. Therapy in this case should also be prescribed only by a pediatrician, taking into account the age and characteristics of the baby's body.
"Disease of dirty hands"
This is exactly what pediatricians most often call stomatitis, which also manifests itself in infants with a white coating on the tongue, lips, gums or cheeks. It’s hard to explain to the baby that it’s not all things around that you can taste, but keeping track of it and constantly taking toys, diapers, blankets and clothes is impossible, therefore, with weakened immunity, bacteria entering the mucosa quickly settle down and form a plaque in the form of white clusters and be sure to inflamed sores.
Without them, this will no longer be stomatitis, and if at least one is found, the entire oral cavity of the baby should be carefully examined. Stomatitis can be different, doctors understand it, but the treatment most often is a local treatment of inflammation with infusions of chamomile, oak bark, calendula or special preparations (Oracept, Stomatophyte, and so on). The therapy lasts at least a week.
Fungal infection
Many women know firsthand about vaginal thrush, and the same Candida fungus causes the appearance of a white film on the mucous membrane in the mouth of infants. Accumulations at the same time can be on the cheeks, tongue, palate, lips or gums, always in the form of a cheesy coating. Such a film is removed very poorly, and open wounds are always located under it, so it is forbidden to remove such a plaque.
Treatment is always accompanied by antifungal medications, usually in the form of a gel immediately with painkillers. Rinsing and rinsing of the oral cavity with infusions of herbs, propolis or a solution of baking soda also complement the therapy.
The subtleties of treatment
From the foregoing, it is clear that each infection requires a specific approach, so you should not cleanse the baby's oral cavity from the appearance of plaque on its own. Only a specialist can prescribe treatment for white plaque in the tongue of the baby without harm to his body.
If the causes of the plaque were problems with the digestive system, then they should be eliminated first of all, the white film will disappear by itself. A similar situation is with nervous disorders. Thrush should be accompanied by mucosal treatment with solutions, but for infectious diseases, greater attention should be paid to the fight against their pathogens.
At the same time, a plaque can accompany the course of infections such as measles, rubella, chickenpox and so on.
Folk remedies
It is easy to remove plaque, if there are no contraindications to this, you can use a solution of soda. Many pediatricians recommend it, but the taste of the product is not pleasant, so many parents choose lemon juice or honey for cleaning. It is important to exclude the possibility of an allergic reaction to them in a child. For processing, a cotton swab is dipped in honey and the product is applied to white areas in the mouth. They also work with lemon juice, but instead of sticks, it is better to wrap a finger with bandage or gauze and dip in a solution, and then apply to the desired areas.
Preventative measures
So that a white coating on the tongue of the baby does not appear at all, adults should focus more on the hygiene of the baby and the objects surrounding it. To do this, all nipples, soothers and feeding bottles should be regularly boiled or sterilized using a special device. Mom’s chest and arms should also be kept clean and washed before each feeding. All toys of the child should be as clean as his bed.
If the nipple fell to the floor or the ground, you must immediately remove it and do not give it to the baby until it is sterilized. It is recommended to wash the baby himself with boiled water, especially after an illness, when his immunity is weakened. Toys should be washed with soap in hot water once every few days.
It is necessary to provide the child with vitamins - when breastfeeding, mother should eat fully, eat more fruits and vegetables.
If the mother is diagnosed with thrush, be sure to undergo a course of treatment. Do not give your child antibiotics for no good reason and do not use their nursing mother.
Well, of course, regularly carry out procedures for hygiene of the oral cavity of the baby.
Film removal
White plaque in the tongue of an infant, a photo of which can be seen in the article, can only be removed in certain cases. When it is discovered, parents first need to give the baby a few tablespoons of water and watch. If the plaque is reduced, it does not pose a danger. If not, you should immediately contact a specialist.
When diagnosing thrush, spots are allowed to be treated with a soda solution, which will remove a small layer of plaque. In other cases, it is strictly forbidden to scrape the film, because through an open wound, the infection can enter the bloodstream and spread even further.
The best preventive measures will be regular walks in the fresh air, humidification of the air in the room. Attention: you can not give the baby a lot of crying, because this helps to dry up the mucosa, which leads to infection of the oral cavity with various infections.