According to statistics, more than 2% of all children encounter this phenomenon, so the disease cannot be called rare. Geographic tongue in a child is a dystrophic-inflammatory disease of the mucous membrane of the tongue. And it owes its “colorful” name to the fact that its foci are located in such a way that they really look like a geographical map.

How to prevent the occurrence of desquamative glossitis?

The appearance of spots and white stripes on the tongue in infants under one year of age and older is quite common and indicates health problems.
In medicine, geographic tongue is defined as an inflammatory-dystrophic process on the mucous membrane of a muscular organ. The scientific name of the pathology is desquamative (wandering) glossitis. You can see what the geographic tongue looks like in the photo below. Visually, it has a heterogeneous color, red spots are surrounded by white-pink stripes, usually the lesion is localized in the lateral zones and on the back of the tongue (see also: This occurs due to desquamation of surface epithelial cells.

Prevention is aimed at eliminating the development of the disease and reducing the risk of relapse. It includes the following activities:

• balanced diet with the exception of spicy, sour, salty foods;
• prevention of vitamin deficiency;
• limiting the consumption of sugar-containing and carbonated drinks;
• control of chronic diseases;
• proper oral hygiene;
• dental treatment from a good specialist;
• thorough grinding of fillings.

If you find spots on your child’s tongue, you should not self-medicate or try to use antibacterial ointments and medications. In this case, there is a high risk of oral dysbiosis. The disease requires medical control, only then is the success of treatment guaranteed.

This disease is the rejection by the body of the upper layer of the epithelium of the tongue, as a result of which scars or “patterns” of white or red color appear on it. Foci of the disease appear very quickly, their localization is different. Sometimes the lesions disappear and later appear in other places.

Preventive measures

There are a number of recommendations, the implementation of which will ensure the prevention of the development of not only desquamative glossitis, but also its relapses. Here are some of the tips that experts give:

1. try to limit your child’s consumption of too hot, salty, spicy or smoked foods - foods that irritate the walls of the intestines and stomach,
2. exclude coffee drinks and overly sweet foods,
3. do not forget about the importance of preventing vitamin deficiency, provide your diet with a sufficient amount of vegetables, fruits, foods with vitamins E and B calcium. If the baby is still very small, feed him nutritional formulas enriched with beneficial microelements,
4. regularly undergo preventive examinations at the dentist, preferably 3-4 times a year,
5. carefully monitor the condition of the child’s mouth and teeth; if any suspicious symptoms appear, show the child to a specialist,
6. Teach your baby to brush his teeth every morning and evening, use brushes and toothpastes appropriate for his age.

   
   Maintaining oral hygiene will help reduce the risk of disease

Despite the fact that geographic tongue usually does not cause any serious discomfort or other troubles, such a condition requires attention. Often it signals other pathological processes occurring in the child’s body. In any case, he needs to be shown to a doctor as soon as possible. Only a doctor will be able to diagnose desquamative glossitis, determine the true cause of the problem and take the measures necessary to solve it.

1. According to the results of a WHO study.
2. Kazarny, L.N. Diseases of the mucous membrane of the oral cavity and lips in children, 2004.

What does “geographic language” look like?

If parents notice marks on the child’s tongue, it is worth finding out what the organ affected by desquamative glossitis looks like. According to statistics, this pathology occurs in 3% of children, and it was first described by doctors back in the first half of the 19th century. Since then, such a symptom no longer surprises doctors, but many specialists have a very contradictory attitude towards it.

To make sure that the baby has desquamative glossitis, you should compare his tongue with our photo. Usually the spots cover its entire visible surface, with the exception of the tip. At the same time, they can have either a pronounced character or be blurred and hardly noticeable. The marks are irregular in shape, they are connected to each other by narrow isthmuses. Along the contour, the spots have a white rim that slightly rises above the surrounding tissues.

The inner area of ​​the “card” peels off from time to time, so it looks unevenly colored. This process can last for years, or it can last only a few months, gradually fading away.

Treatment and prevention of geographic tongue in children

If the syndrome did not appear against the background of a particular disease, but under the influence of changes in the body during teething or puberty, there is no need to treat ; it will soon go away on its own, as soon as the changes are completed.
If the appearance of such a phenomenon is associated with stomach diseases, helminthic infestations or other diseases, then treatment for the underlying disease must be prescribed and the geographic tongue will also disappear.

The oral cavity should also be sanitized to identify the exact cause of the syndrome. It is necessary to cure caries, if the child has it, remove tartar, and carry out a comprehensive teeth cleaning. If the child experiences pain, the doctor may prescribe painkillers or special baths based on vegetable oil.

To prepare such a bath, you need to boil the oil for about 20 minutes, cool, dip in a cotton swab and apply to the tongue. Wash off after about 15 minutes or a little later.

To avoid irritation, it is necessary to review the child’s diet. In particular, the following products should be excluded:

If, when a geographic tongue appears, an infection occurs and inflammation of the mucous membrane begins, the doctor may prescribe antibiotics.

Let's move on to preventive measures. So, in order to prevent the child from developing this syndrome and subsequent complications, one should not neglect the care of baby teeth.

Caries must be treated, and the sooner the better. If the tooth cannot be cured, it should be removed. When you observe strange manifestations in your child's mouth, immediately take him to the dentist to identify the cause and prescribe treatment.

Maintaining dental hygiene is very important even at a very early age. At the same time, it is better to use toothpaste for children rather than powder for brushing teeth, since mint oil or menthol, which are included in the powder, have an extremely negative effect on the child’s tongue.

If your baby complains of dry mouth, you should
rinse it regularly before bed and every time after eating.
For rinsing, it is best to use all kinds of soothing herbal infusions, for example, chamomile, sage, St. John's wort and others. You can purchase a collection, or you can buy an elixir for rinsing based on medicinal herbs, specially prepared in a pharmacy. Also, if you feel dry, you can put gauze pads on your tongue, previously soaked in peach oil or Vaseline solution. Butter or fish oil is also suitable for this purpose. The napkin should be kept for no more than five minutes.

Also, adolescents who are susceptible to the appearance of a geographic tongue during puberty should give up bad habits that may negatively affect their health in the future.

Source

Causes of the disease and provoking factors

As for the risk factors that provoke this syndrome, they can be both external and internal. All possible causes are most fully reflected in the following list, which was methodically compiled by Dr. Evgeniy Komarovsky:

• gastrointestinal diseases that provoke infectious lesions of the oral cavity (including dexvamative glossitis). These include chronic colitis, enterocolitis, dysentery, ulcerative colitis and viral hepatitis;
• diseases of the endocrine system, which include diabetes mellitus in children, thyroid diseases (hypo- or hyperthyroidism, myxedema, adenoma, cancer) and others;
• diseases of the autonomic nervous system (migraine, Raynaud's disease, progressive hemiatrophy and others);
• autoimmune diseases such as systemic lupus, scleroderma, rheumatism, type 1 diabetes mellitus, rheumatoid arthritis;
• viral diseases;
• genetic inheritance;
• vitamin deficiency or hypervitaminosis;
• mechanical injuries.

There are many causes of desquamative glossitis in adults and children. The main ones are:

• violation of the metabolism of B vitamins; thiamine (B1): “Beri-Beri” disease, which disrupts the functioning of the digestive, cardiovascular and nervous systems.
• riboflavin (B2): inflammation of the mucous membranes of the oral cavity, occurring with lesions of the lips and tongue (cracks, inflammation, dryness, bleeding)
• pyridoxine (B6): skin diseases, the symptoms of which are dryness, cracks, ulcers.
• Cyanocobalamin (B12): pernicious anemia, in which the process of blood formation, in particular red blood cells, is disrupted.

There are often cases when a child is born with desquamative glossitis. Of course, this is influenced by a hereditary factor or some kind of genetic failure during the period of intrauterine development of the embryo.

In most cases, the congenital disease cannot be treated and persists throughout the patient’s life.

One of the most common causes of desquamative glossitis is teething in young children. In this case, the skin of the tongue becomes irritated and spots or scars appear on it. Nothing can be done about this; it takes time for the manifestations of glossitis on the tongue to go away on their own.

Parents need to ensure that the disease is not complicated by infection or dirt entering the child’s oral cavity. If symptoms of a complication of the disease occur, you should immediately consult a doctor.

Experts distinguish 3 main forms of desquamative glossitis:

1. Superficial form - considered a mild or initial form of the disease. Characterized by slight itching and burning. Visual signs: bright red spots on the tongue, around which there is an absolutely healthy, intact upper layer of the epithelium of the tongue.
2. Hyperplastic form - reddish spots with a white or yellow coating are found on the tongue, which, when pressed on the tongue, seem denser than the rest of the surface. The patient experiences discomfort or mild pain that periodically disappears and reappears, and feels a “foreign body” in the mouth.
3. Lichenoid form - the most advanced form is characterized by constantly changing localization of foci of desquamative glossitis. The patient experiences severe burning and increased sensitivity of the tongue when exposed to any type of food or drink. If geography in the tongue occurs due to some kind of disease, the patient often experiences pain even while speaking.

Signs of pathology

Sometimes a pediatrician, when examining a child, may write down the term “geographical language” in the medical history, which will cause confusion among parents. What does it mean? Desquamative glossitis often manifests itself as changes on the surface of the tongue that look like the outlines of continents and resemble a geographical map, which is why it is called geographic tongue.

The surface of a healthy tongue should be pink, slightly uneven, moist, without scratches or ulcers, the papillae should be noticeable, rough, and not inflamed. Any changes in the color or shape of the tongue are abnormal, but not necessarily a sign of a serious illness. In some cases, a strange color may be a natural reaction to external influences.

Possible reasons for tongue color change:

• an allergic reaction is manifested by redness of one area or the entire surface;
• tongue injury may be accompanied by redness and swelling;
• an insect bite also causes an allergic reaction with corresponding symptoms;
• thrush, caused by the Candida fungus, is characterized by a grayish coating on the mucous membranes;
• stomatitis looks like small white sores;
• Vascular pathologies may appear as pale spots on the tongue.

Scaly glossitis is not caused by any of the above reasons; it has a specific clinical picture. Despite the fact that there is often no danger to the child, most experts believe that glossitis cannot be called a normal variant. The famous doctor Komarovsky believes that the geographic tongue, when there are whitish spots on it, is a normal feature of the individual structure.

Scientifically, geographic tongue is called migratory desquamative glossitis of the tongue (benign), and this is a full-fledged disease, which, accordingly, requires treatment. The development of the medical history is accompanied by active rejection of the outer mucous surface of the tongue. It should be noted that characteristic changes are usually observed only in the “back” and edge areas.

So why might a child develop characteristic spots on his tongue? Experts have not yet figured out the exact causes of desquamative glossitis, but the factors that can provoke the manifestation of the disease are still known. These include:

• infectious diseases,
• systemic pathologies of connective tissues,
• diathesis in exudative form,
• worms,
• disruptions in the digestive system,
• disturbances in the functioning of the endocrine system,
• allergic manifestations,
• avitaminosis,
• genetic predisposition.

If spots appear on the tongue, it is necessary to consult a pediatrician, since the baby may have other diseases
. In addition to the listed diseases, other factors may cause the appearance of spots on the tongue. Among them:

• The body's reaction to prolonged or uncontrolled use of antibiotics.
• The baby's body's response to a specific vaccine.
• The period of dentition, that is, the eruption of teeth. Very often in this interval (from six months to 4 years) the baby has a geographic tongue, and after the completion of dentition everything returns to normal.
• In infants. Some babies put everything in their mouths, and using inappropriate objects can damage the surface of the tongue.
• Worm infestation can also cause desquamative glossitis. A stool and blood test should be done to identify traces of parasites and, if necessary, undergo treatment. There is a possibility that after this the appearance of this organ will become normal.
• Injuries, burns and other damage to the tongue.

The most common symptoms of geographic tongue in children

Among the most common symptoms that accompany this phenomenon are the following:

If a child has at least one of the above symptoms, the child can be diagnosed with any disease that may cause the appearance of a geographic tongue. Diagnosis is carried out in almost all cases, except for teething in babies and puberty in teenage girls.

Diagnosis is based on examination of the child's urine, feces and blood. If he has certain problems with internal organs, then the doctor may prescribe additional examination and diagnostic measures.

Symptoms of the phenomenon

In the vast majority of cases, there are no pronounced symptoms or signs of the condition. Spots on the tongue do not cause noticeable discomfort to children, and most often pediatric dentists are the first to discover the pathology during the child’s next routine examination or when contacting them about a sore tooth. Severe advanced forms of desquamative glossitis may be accompanied by a dull sensation of itching in the tongue area.

In the early stages, a single spot usually appears on the tongue, the size of which does not exceed 5 millimeters. This area differs from the rest of the tongue surface tissues in its grayish tint and looks somewhat swollen. Then the affected area expands and becomes larger. New spots form, and very quickly the tongue begins to resemble a geographical map.

The papillae on the tongue become bright and red. This may cause some disturbance in the perception of tastes and temperatures of food; the child may have difficulty distinguishing between sour and salty. Due to reasons that are not yet well understood, the disease disappears from time to time and then appears again. In this case, spots on the tongue can appear both in the same places and in new ones.

The child gradually begins to complain of discomfort while eating and drinking. Some children begin to refuse food, such as sour fruits or hard foods. The tongue becomes somewhat enlarged and swollen. The child may have difficulty speaking quickly and clearly.

Desquamative glossitis often begins unnoticed by the child and others and does not cause discomfort to the baby. External signs of pathology in children are usually detected by a pediatrician or dentist. Older children and teenagers may themselves notice unusual changes visible in the mirror and complain that their tongue is peeling.

Symptoms of pathology:

• change (increase or decrease) in the sensitivity of the tongue, numbness of the surface area;
• violation of taste perception - reduction or distortion;
• burning or itching, tingling, tingling, especially while eating;
• sensation of a foreign body in the mouth;
• pink or red spots with a white or light edging are visible on the tongue;
• grooves and cracks appear on the tongue;
• red spots in the center of the tongue;
• change in the thickness of the tongue or part of it;
• difficulty speaking.

The onset of the disease is characterized by the appearance of grayish-white areas of swollen epithelial layer, which then sloughs and peels off, revealing bright pink tissue. After some time, restoration of the affected area begins and at the same time the process of desquamation of other areas continues, which is why it seems that the foci of glossitis are moving along the surface of the tongue.

Regardless of the pathologies that caused geography, changes in the tongue occur due to disruption of the nutrition of its tissues. Initially, small spots of a grayish tint form on the mucous membrane. After a while they turn pink due to the fact that the papillae peel off in the middle. Peeling gradually covers an increasingly larger area with unclear contours. In this case, the tissues of the central papillae are restored, and the peeling moves to another area of ​​the muscular organ.

All processes occur very quickly, and the pattern on the tongue can change throughout the day. The disease is detected by chance, during an examination by a doctor or by vigilant parents during communication with the child. As a rule, it does not cause discomfort. Occasionally, when eating hot or spicy foods, children may complain of burning and pain in the tongue, increased taste perception, and loss of sensitivity of the muscle organ.

With stress or exacerbation of chronic diseases in children, spots and stripes on the tongue become more pronounced. Regardless of whether they bother the baby or not, it is important to understand the nature of their origin and treat the disease.

No doctor can say for sure how long the child’s illness will last. The following options are possible:

• geographical spots disappear for a short time and then appear in new places;
• spots remain on the tongue for an indefinite period of time;
• the geography of language accompanies the child throughout his life;
• Glossitis goes away as the baby gets older.

The main sign of the development of migratory benign glossitis is the formation of a grayish coating in the form of spots on the surface of the tongue. Gradually, the spots increase in size, and peeling appears in the middle, exposing the papillae. In this case, the neoplasms take the form of peculiar rings. The tongue becomes bright, and a pattern appears on it, somewhat reminiscent of a geographical map, which is why the disease got its name.

After successful treatment of desquamative glossitis, the symptoms of the pathology may disappear forever, but in some situations the disease becomes recurrent. In approximately 90% of cases, the disease occurs with virtually no symptoms2. Sometimes children experience a slight burning and tingling sensation on the tongue, and they complain of increased sensitivity to acid-containing foods.

Geographical language Typical strong contrast between white and red zones

The symptoms of this disease are visually clearly visible (see photo). These include:

• peeling of the upper layer of the epithelium;
• the presence of areas of redness or discoloration of some areas of the tongue;
• areas of different colors on the tongue look like patterns of different shapes and sizes;
• visually the tongue becomes larger.

A person with these external manifestations of the disease in the tongue area usually feels a burning and tingling sensation, or there is no sensation in the area of ​​the “drawings” that appear.

Very often the patient experiences discomfort while talking and chewing food.

Geographical language: what do grayish spots on a child’s tongue mean?

Let's look at the main causes of desquamative glossitis. Despite the obvious manifestations and discomfort that geographic tongue can cause in a child, experts do not give a clear answer as to what may be the source of the problem. Several possible reasons have been cited, but this issue has not been thoroughly studied.

The cause of spots on a child's tongue may be an allergy.

To get rid of an unpleasant pathology, you should undergo an examination and identify diseases that could lead to glossitis. Some pediatricians do not consider it necessary to treat the problem at all. Others, for example, Dr. Komarovsky, note that this phenomenon may be a consequence of one or more diseases. That is, geographic tongue is not a disease, but only one of the possible symptoms of some disorder in the functioning of the body.

So, let's look at groups of diseases that can change the appearance of the tongue:

1. Allergy. Some babies are susceptible to allergic reactions to a wide variety of foods. Diathesis can affect not only the cheeks, perineum, but also mucous membranes. If the problem persists for a long time, the child’s tongue may well react to the allergen in a similar way. It is believed that desquamative glossitis most often occurs due to allergies.
2. A group of diseases that are provoked by a lack of vitamin B. For example, a deficiency of vitamin B2 can lead to damage to the mucous membranes; lack of B6 – to the appearance of non-healing wounds, cracks in the corners of the lips, dry skin; B12 deficiency leads to disruption of hematopoietic processes in the bone marrow, which can lead to the development of anemia.
3. A large group of gastrointestinal diseases. Among them are various diseases of the liver, intestines, as well as gastritis and duodenitis.
4. Diseases of the pancreas – diabetes, pancreatitis.
5. Endocrine diseases.
6. Autoimmune - lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis.

Treatment options

If the visual manifestations of the disease are mild and the child does not make any complaints regarding his well-being, then no complex therapy will be required. Treatment is carried out at home and is aimed primarily at restoring the integrity of the mucous membranes of the tongue and preventing inflammatory processes. And, of course, it is necessary to identify and eliminate the main cause that caused the disease. Correct diagnosis is a guarantee of quick and successful treatment.

The treatment is simple and not very long. It comes down to the use of the following drugs.

1. Agents with anesthetic and keratolytic effects. Oily vitamins A and E, as well as the drug Keratolin, are often prescribed.
2. Solcoseryl ointment helps accelerate the regeneration of damaged mucous membranes.
3. To avoid secondary infection, it is recommended to rinse with antiseptic solutions daily. The popular drugs Miramistin and Chlorhexidine are perfect in this case.

Additionally, you can resort to traditional medicine using decoctions of chamomile, nettle, oak bark, and sage. Weak soda solutions give a good effect.

Diagnosis of the disease

Diagnosis of this disease is necessary in order to establish the causes of desquamative glossitis in the patient, because subsequent treatment will depend on the diagnosis.

The initial diagnosis is usually based on the patient's complaints. Most often, patients are bothered by itching, burning, and hypersensitivity of the tongue. Based on the patient's complaints, the doctor prescribes certain types of examinations.

For example, diagnostics of the oral cavity is carried out. This is necessary to identify teeth affected by caries, which very often causes symptoms similar to glossitis.

After this, an examination of the patient’s oral cavity is carried out, as a result of which the main visual signs of a geographic tongue are detected.

To finally ensure the correct diagnosis, a general analysis of urine, blood and feces is prescribed. In this case, the diagnosis will be confirmed mainly on the basis of the test results obtained.

To understand that a child has desquamative glossitis, you do not need much medical experience - the symptoms are characteristic and clearly distinguishable. But it is more important to establish for what reasons this symptom appeared. In most cases, as already mentioned, geographic tongue is a symptom of another disease. A dentist or gastroenterologist can make a diagnosis, and therefore an extensive examination will be prescribed to identify the causes. The spots on the tongue themselves do not pose a significant danger.

The child is prescribed blood, stool, and urine tests. If necessary, ultrasound of the abdominal organs and endoscopic examination are performed. It is necessary to treat the underlying disease, and not its individual symptoms. If we talk about whether it is possible to cure unsightly spots on the surface of the tongue, then doctors talk about the need for therapy only if the spots cause discomfort, burning, itching, speech impairment, and appetite in the child. In other cases, there is no need to treat the geographic tongue separately.

The doctor who can provide assistance in this case is called a dentist. He sanitizes the oral cavity, heals caries and stomatitis. Simultaneously with treatment, rinsing with a solution of citral (1%), applying applications in an oil solution of vitamin E and rosehip oil are prescribed. Additionally, the child may be recommended calcium supplements and B vitamins. If the child has allergies, it is recommended to take antihistamines.

It is allowed to rinse the mouth with a decoction of chamomile, sage, and St. John's wort. This treatment is used with caution in children under 3 years of age - herbs can become an independent cause of an allergic reaction. Rinse after every meal. For children over 3 years old, propolis can be used if there is no allergy. A water infusion is made from it and used as a mouth rinse.

It is believed that natural juices of carrots and beets, mixed with rosehip oil or sea buckthorn oil, have a pronounced healing effect on the surface of the tongue. But before you start treating the child yourself, remember the main thing - the child’s geographic tongue is a signal of some internal trouble.

General information

Experts classify geographic tongue as a pathology with a benign course, against the background of which the upper layer of the mucous membrane of the speech organ is rejected. In this case, the affected areas are localized mainly on the lateral surfaces and back of the tongue.

The pathology is expressed in the form of inflammation of the epithelium, surrounded by a white rim that rises above the surface of the mucosa. It is a collection of dead cells of the upper layer of the tongue. At the same time, the papillae of the organ also undergo modification.

Experts to this day cannot come to a common denominator regarding the nature of the etiology of such a pronounced defect.

Some classify manifestations of benign glossitis as neurodystrophic diseases, others mistake geographic tongue for inflammation of the oral cavity, and still others do not consider mucosal damage to be a pathology.

Should I pay attention?

If the tongue does not hurt, does not itch or cause discomfort when eating or drinking, parents may not even realize that their son or daughter has desquamative glossitis. Sometimes the dentist or pediatrician tells them about this during a routine examination of the baby. Some people believe that it is not worth tormenting a daughter or son with research and treating a problem if it does not bother him. They are partly right, however, such a policy does not always have a predictable outcome.

For example, if these are allergy symptoms, they may get worse over time and it will take longer to treat. Lack of vitamins is also fraught with consequences much more serious than marks on the tongue.

Forecast

This disease does not threaten the patient’s life or health. In some cases, desquamative glossitis persists throughout a person’s life (in the case of a congenital disease), and does not cause discomfort to the person.

If a person does not feel any discomfort from the geographic tongue all his life, then during the exacerbation of some diseases, tingling and burning may be felt. These symptoms are temporary and usually disappear after a few days.

If desquamative glossitis occurs due to some kind of disease, you should not delay its treatment, because it can become chronic, and in this case it will be very difficult to get rid of geographic tongue.

Treatment

Treatment of the desquamative form of glossitis is carried out only in the event of sensations causing discomfort and other complaints.
In other cases, treatment of this pathology is not considered necessary. You can stop the first symptoms of the disease either with the intervention of a specialist or independently, using folk remedies.

We invite you to look at photos of all stages of dental caries in a special review.

Let's talk here about what antibiotics to take for gumboil.

Medication

If desquamative glossitis is accompanied by pain, then dental intervention is necessary. He carries out complete sanitation of the oral cavity, eliminating foci of caries and relieving periodontal pathologies.

Additionally, he prescribes a number of specific medications:

Elimination of symptoms of desquamative form of glossitis at home

If it is not possible to get an appointment with a doctor, and the disease bothers you with uncomfortable manifestations, then you can try to eliminate them at home.
The most effective home remedies for relieving pain and regenerating damaged tissue include the following:

We'll tell you at what age children start brushing their teeth on their own.

This article explains why a white coating forms on a child's tongue.

At this address: https://zubovv.ru/krasota-i-uxod/irrigatoryi/obzor-aquajet-ld-a7.html - the popular model of the Aquajet oral irrigator is reviewed.