What Are the Treatments for White Spots on the Tongue?

White spots on the tongue are usually associated with oral (mouth) thrush, leukoplakia and oral lichen planus, three different oral diseases that have various origins. Oral thrush is usually caused by an overproduction of candida albicans in the mouth and can appear on the tongue, cheek walls, the roof of the mouth or in the throat. Leukoplakia usually appears in people who use chewing tobacco and can be cancerous. Oral lichen planus is usually less serious and can be caused by poor oral hygiene, tobacco use or from drinking too much alcohol.

Identification

• Before treatment is administered, people with white spots on their tongue should have their doctors or dentists examine them for a proper diagnosis. According to Mayoclinic.com, oral thrush usually appears as "creamy white lesions on your tongue." These lesions often have a cottage cheese-like appearance and can bleed when rubbed. However, these white spots can be scraped off, unlike those that appear due to leukoplakia or oral lichen planus, the latter of which can produce lacey white patches on the tongue.

Considerations

• Sometimes white spots on the tongue from leukoplakia or oral lichen planus will disappear if you stop drinking alcohol (for oral lichen planus) or using tobacco. But since oral thrush is caused by excess candida albicans, it can often reappear despite efforts to simply scrape them off the tongue. Some alternative medical practitioners believe that poor diet, stress, an overuse of antibiotics, corticosteroids or birth control pills can spur candida overgrowth. Hence, dietary changes may be necessary to completely eradicate white spots caused by oral thrush.

Types of Medical Treatment

• Leukoplakia can disappear on its own or you may need a dentist to remove it. Oral lichen planus is usually treated with mouth rinses, medications that suppress the immune system or corticosteroids. In cases of oral thrush, anti-fungal lozenges or liquid medicine are usually prescribed for eliminating the candida fungus problem. According to General Practitioner Dr. John Pillinger in his Netdoctor.com.uk article, examples of medications for oral thrush can include nystatin, amphotericin (e.g. Fungilin lozenges) or miconazole (e.g. Daktarin oral gel).

Effects of Dietary Changes

• People with white spots on their tongue due to oral lichen planus can sometimes get over their condition by eliminating spicy foods. People with oral thrush are sometimes put on a candida reducing diet which eliminates certain candida-producing foods. Once oral thrush sets it, candida is believed to multiply more rapidly if you eat too much sugar or gluten (a protein found in wheat). Foods that contain these ingredients may be curtailed or eliminated for a while until you overcome oral thrush.

Time Frame

• There is no set time frame for eliminating the three main diseases that cause white spots on the tongue. Those who correctly identify their problem and undergo treatment are more apt to recover more quickly.