Yellow plaque in the tongue: causes and treatment

The tongue of each person is periodically covered with plaque, especially in the morning. This is a normal physiological phenomenon associated with the growth of bacteria. Which, incidentally, live on the mucous membranes constantly.

“Healthy” layers have a translucent whitish color and cover the muscle organ with a thin layer. If the plaque in the language of an adult or a child has acquired a yellow tint, then the reason for its formation lies in the pathological condition of the gastrointestinal tract or other organs, systems.

Why does a yellow plaque appear on an adult's tongue

The surface of the tongue is lined with mucous membrane, which is covered with taste buds. The tissue epithelium can condense, grow, desquamate and form a yellow coating on the tongue, an example of which is shown in the photo.

Layering consists not only of dead cells and the tips of the taste buds. They include bacteria and waste products, fibrin and white blood cells. Therefore, the accumulation of plaque is accompanied by the formation of halitosis.

Liver disease

The most common cause of yellow plaque in the tongue is a pathological process that can occur either in the liver or in the intrahepatic bile ducts. The main blow falls on the exchange of bilirubin - the pigment. Therefore, the mucous membranes of the mouth acquire a straw color. This condition is called parenchymal or hepatic jaundice. It develops against the background of the following diseases:

• Hepatitis. The liver can become inflamed by viruses, alcohol, or toxic substances. Due to damage to the cells of the digestive gland, the process of bilirubin binding is disrupted, which is extremely harmful to the body. The pigment enters the bloodstream, and then into the urine, which begins to turn yellow. Among the main symptoms of hepatitis can be identified weakness, weakness, poor performance, yellowing of the eye proteins, the root of the tongue, skin. Often, especially in the morning, the area under the ribs on the right side begins to hurt.
• Cirrhosis of the liver. The disease is accompanied by the death of cells of the digestive gland and the formation of nodes that press on the bile ducts and disrupt the outflow of bile, the pigments of which stain the tongue. The initial stages of the disease are characterized by an increase in the organ, and in the later stages, a decrease. Metabolic products are absorbed directly into the bloodstream and poison the nervous system. Symptoms of the disease are: dark yellow staining of the root of the tongue, pain in the right side, itching, insomnia, memory problems, a bitter aftertaste in the mouth.

Pathology of the biliary tract

Yellowness in the tongue appears due to exacerbation of ailments that affect the bile ducts and lead to jaundice. These include:

• Cholelithiasis.
• Vater's nipple.
• Tumor of the bile duct.
• Gallbladder inflammation.

With all of the above pathologies, the lumen of the channels along which bile passes is narrowed. As a result, its outflow is difficult, which is accompanied by the appearance of the following symptoms:

• Permanent or periodic pain.
• Bitterness in the mouth.
• Vomiting and nausea.
• Increase in body temperature.
• Staining of the mucous membranes in a yellow-green color.

Usually, pathological conditions appear after heavy physical exertion or eating fatty foods.

Adrenal jaundice

A yellow tongue can speak of adrenal jaundice. The disease manifests itself due to the formation of excessive doses of bilirubin. This condition occurs due to the following violations:

• Defective synthesis of red blood cells or their enhanced decay against the background of hemolytic anemia - a pathology in which the duration of the existence of red blood cells is greatly reduced.
• The formation of extensive bruising with heart attacks of internal organs.
• Poisoning with hydrogen sulfide, hydrocarbon, phosphorus and / or other chemical compounds.
• The intake of large doses of sulfonamides in the blood.

Gastrointestinal diseases

The cause of the formation of yellow plaque in the tongue may be a stomach ulcer, duodenal ulcer or chronic gastritis. Since these pathologies provoke the throwing of bile into the stomach.

With an exacerbation of diseases in patients, sucking cramps appear, similar to a feeling of hunger. Nausea, vomiting, belching, heartburn, a taste of bitterness, an unpleasant odor are observed.

White-yellow plaque in the tongue may appear for other reasons:

• Acute pancreatitis. This is an exacerbation of chronic inflammation of the pancreas. The disease is characterized by pronounced symptoms: pain in the upper abdomen with a return to the back, dry mouth, nausea, a yellowish coating on the tongue.
• Duodeno-gastric reflux. Pathology manifests itself when the duodenum 12 releases its contents into the stomach, and the obstructive muscle of its output compartment is not functioning enough. The causes of this phenomenon are: trauma, hernia, fetal pressure, swelling, dissection of the pylorus during surgery. With an ailment, the root of the tongue may turn yellow (see photo). Heartburn, vomiting, dull pain in the side will appear.
• Acute intestinal infections. All diseases of this kind provoke the occurrence of nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, burning sensation in the throat. The liquid quickly leaves the body, dehydration begins. As a result, the language takes on a straw-white hue.

Why in the language of yellow plaque: commonplace reasons

Changing the color of the tongue is sometimes associated with its inflammation. For example, white curdled layers indicate the development of a fungal infection. With glossitis, the organ becomes red, swollen, covered with ulcers and erosion. Microbial infection of the mucosa occurs for various reasons. But the most common are poor oral care and dental diseases.

White or yellow plaque on the mucous membranes of the mouth and tongue can indicate a cold. True, the basis for making such a diagnosis will be completely different symptoms: high fever, cough, runny nose, sore throat, dehydration.

Some drugs, such as Furazolidone, Akrikhin, cardiac glycosides or anti-epilepsy drugs, can stain the muscular system in a yellowish tint. But such a raid is quickly cleared.

The yellow language may indicate completely banal defects:

• Resin settling due to smoking.
• Inadequate oral care.
• Frequent intake of fatty or very heavy foods.
• Accumulation of toxins in the body.
• Mucosal staining due to excessive consumption of persimmons, tea, carrots, pumpkins, peaches, mangoes, soda with dye.

Why does the child's tongue turn yellow

The yellowness of a child’s tongue extremely rarely indicates serious illness. First, it is necessary to exclude food and household causes of its appearance. These include:

• Introduction of the first or new complementary foods.
• Reception of coloring products.
• Addiction to sweets and other sweets, drinks with dyes.
• The habit of pulling felt-tip pens, gouache, colored pencils into your mouth.

Pathological conditions due to which the child’s tongue may turn yellow include:

• Hemolytic disease. This ailment arises even in the womb and in the event that a rhesus conflict arises between the blood of the baby and mother. In a baby who has a hemolytic ailment, the liver grows, the concentration of bilirubin increases, spontaneous decay of red blood cells occurs. Over time, the ailment leads to damage to the cerebral cortex, therefore, when the first suspicious signs are detected, the crumbs parents should consult a doctor who will determine the correct diagnosis and prescribe traditional therapeutic therapy.
• Dehydration. Often begins due to the progression of infectious diseases, colds, medication, hematological problems.
• Biliary dyskinesia. Pathology affects children of school age and older.

  If there is any suspicion that the baby has a disturbed digestive system, you need to show it to a gastroenterologist.

Diagnostic Methods

Treatment of yellow plaque in the tongue in adults should begin with the elimination of the cause, not the symptom. Only the attending physician is able to establish a diagnosis, since this manifestation is not characterized by specificity for various diseases.

First you need to consult a therapist. And he will refer you to the right doctor - a gastroenterologist or dentist. After the examination, you should pass a number of laboratory tests and undergo additional examinations, which may include:

• General analysis of urine, blood, feces.
• Biochemical analysis, which is done to identify the average values ​​of glucose, ALT, bilirubin, creatinine, urea and other important indicators.
• Ultrasound of the digestive tract.

Treatment methods

The tactics of treatment depend on the diagnosis, due to which a yellow coating has formed on the tongue. The following drugs may be prescribed:

• Cholagogue. They are used for diseases that are accompanied by a slowdown in the outflow and secretion of bile.
• Cholekinetics. They affect the contractility of the gallbladder or are prescribed as antispasmodics.
• Choleretics. Prevent the precipitation of cholesterol salts and stone formation. Enhances bile flow.
• Antivirals or antibiotics. Drugs of the first type are prescribed for viral hepatitis. The second - with exacerbation of chronic cholecystitis, with bacterial stomatitis. Most often, antibiotics from the tetracycline group are used.
• Antifungal drugs. They are used to treat candidiasis of the tongue or oral cavity.
• Dopamine blockers. Normalize the motility of the digestive tract.
• Electrolyte solutions. Used to restore the water-salt balance during dehydration. And also to relieve mild forms of intoxication in case of poisoning and infectious processes.
• Adsorbents. Binds and removes poisons, bile acids and active substances of drugs from the body.

Before using any medication, consult your doctor..

Folk remedies for plaque

To get rid of yellowness on the tongue, you can make decoctions of medicinal herbs and rinse your mouth with them. The most effective in this regard:

• Mint.
• Chamomile.
• Sage.
• Flax seeds.
• Oak bark.

Take 2 tbsp. l any pharmacy plant, pour 200 ml. boiling water and boil for about 15 minutes. Let the mixture brew for half an hour and strain.

If there are no medicinal herbs at hand, you can make an ordinary soda solution. It will not only help clear the tongue of deposits, but also reduce the number of microbes that inhabit it. The recipe is simple: mix 2 tbsp. l soda with 200 ml. warm water and mix thoroughly the finished mixture.

Get rid of the raid only with the help of folk remedies will not succeed. Do not forget to brush your teeth in the morning and evening, use antiseptic drugs, eat rationally and visit the dentist at least once a year. And then you do not have to figure out what a yellow coating on the tongue means.