What to do if your child has white spots on his tongue

Whether children can grow up healthily is an issue that every parent is concerned about. However, as children grow up, they always encounter various problems, which makes parents very worried. One of the more typical cases is white spots on children's tongue. So, what should we do if children have white spots on their tongue? Let’s take a closer look below.

Sometimes, white flakes resembling milk curds appear on the mucous membranes on both sides of the baby's mouth or on the tongue, and they are difficult to remove. This is an infectious disease of the oral mucosa caused by a fungus (Candida albicans), medically known as thrush.

Thrush is more common in newborns and children with chronic diarrhea, malnutrition, or long-term use of antibiotics and corticosteroids, as well as unhygienic nipples and eating utensils that allow mold to invade the oral mucosa. These children generally have poor body resistance. If oral care is not done properly, Candida albicans can easily invade and multiply in large numbers. White dot-like or flake-like membrane-like substances can be seen on the buccal mucosa, tongue, face, gums and palate on both sides. They are not easy to wipe off. If they are forcibly removed, a non-bleeding red wound can be seen underneath. Children with severe thrush have white snowflakes in their mouths, which block their throats and affect their breathing. The children become irritable and refuse to eat.

Thrush is relatively easy to treat with local medication. You can grind nystatin into powder and mix it with cod liver oil drops. Apply it on the wound once every 4 hours, and the effect is significant. The therapeutic effect of applying 1% gentian violet is also good, but because it will stain the area around the lips after use, affecting observation and contaminating clothes, it is rarely used clinically.

Children with severe symptoms can also take some antifungal drugs orally, such as nystatin or clotrimazole, for comprehensive treatment.

Food hygiene: Keep tableware and food clean. Bottles, nipples, bowls and spoons should be used by one person only. Wash them with alkaline water and boil them to disinfect them after use. Breastfeeding mothers should wash their hands and clean their nipples before each feeding.

The above is an introduction to what to do if a child has white spots on his tongue. I hope it will be helpful to parents. There are many factors that cause white spots on children's tongues. Generally, these measures can gradually improve the situation. If the effect is not obvious, it is recommended that parents take their children to a regular hospital for treatment in time to avoid more serious consequences.