Other symptoms of tongue coating

Since the tongue is a very sensitive organ that is very closely connected to the brain, other symptoms can be added to the coating of the tongue when the oral cavity is affected. The most frequent symptom reported is a very pronounced bad breath. This is caused by sulfur compounds, which are formed by metabolic processes of various bacteria.

This smell is only very rarely perceived by the affected persons themselves. Here it is mainly the relatives who point this out after some time. Very common is also the typical burning of the tongue due to an inflammation of the tongue surface.

A prickling or itching associated with this is often described in this context. If the coating on the tongue lasts for a very long time, it can happen that taste disorders occur and that the tongue hurts when touched by food. This happens especially if there is also a disease of the salivary glands and very little salivation, because the dry mouth is caused by a dry mouth and the coating on the tongue is not removed properly.

Various bacteria are responsible for the bad breath associated with the coated tongue. Approximately 60% of all bacteria in the oral cavity sit on the tongue and feel very comfortable in the coating of the tongue. They settle in the deposits and feed on the food leftovers contained in them.

In the process, proteins are decomposed and sulphurous gases are produced, which smell very bad. Often the consumption of odorous foods (such as garlic or onions) is sufficient. With good oral hygiene, however, the bacteria can be quickly eliminated from the furrows of the tongue and the odor neutralized.In some cases, however, it is not sufficient to remove only the coating of the tongue, as is the case with periodontal disease.

This disease is caused by bacteria that settle mainly in the gum pockets. However, removing the plaque alone does not kill the bacteria in the pockets. They must be removed by a special therapy at the dentist.

The pockets are cleaned mechanically and then gargled with disinfectant mouth rinse solutions for several weeks. If the therapy is successfully completed, the plaque on the tongue also disappears. The first point of contact for tongue plaque should be the dentist.

The dentist is very familiar with the various diseases of the oral cavity and can help in any case. He will find and remove the reason for the tongue plaque on the basis of the medical history and various diagnostic methods. Depending on the exact disease, a specialist, e.g. an oral surgeon, can then take over the therapy.