White Spots in Mouth

White spots in mouth is a symptom, and not a disease, that manifests in many conditions which affect the oral cavity. These spots may occur anywhere on the mucous membranes of the oral cavity, including the tongue, inner cheek (buccal mucosa) and the gums. White spots in mouth may also manifest in the form of patches or groups. However, it is important to note that any kind of change in color of the oral cavity is indicative of a change in the cellular activity. Hence, one needs to understand the various causes of white spots in mouth, so as to diagnose the condition and follow it up with proper treatment. Given below are the causes, symptoms and treatment of white spots in mouth.

Causes of White Spots in Mouth

As we said earlier, white spots in mouth is usually a sign of one of the various underlying conditions, ranging from fungal infection to pre-cancerous lesion, affecting the oral cavity. Discussed below are some of the major causes of white spots in mouth:

Oral Candidiasis
Oral candidiasis, or oral thrush that it is commonly known as, is a fungal infection of the oral cavity that is caused by the fungal species Candida albicans. This infection is one of the most common causes of white spots in mouth. In most cases, this infection occurs in immunocompromised individuals as an opportunistic infection, especially, in the form of white spots in mouth of a baby. It can also, result from ill-fitting dentures. It mostly, shows symptoms of white spots in mouth, particularly on the tongue and the palate, which appear in the form of patches.

Lichen Planus
Oral lichen planus is a non-contagious condition that affects the mucous membranes of the oral cavity, resulting in discoloration in the form of white spots. These white spots typically form a spider-net like pattern. Though the exact cause of this condition is not known, it is believed that there is no pathogen involved in this disease. While nutritional deficiencies, allergic reactions, tobacco chewing and smoking etc., are considered to be the likely causes of this condition, none have been conclusively proven.

Leukoplakia
Leukoplakia is an oral pre-cancerous lesion which happens to be yet another cause of white spots in mouth. This condition typically manifests as adherent white patches, mostly on the buccal mucosa near the molars. These white patches can be distinguished from oral candidiasis, in that, these patches are normally, asymptomatic in nature and cannot be pulled out. The main cause of leukoplakia patches is tobacco chewing and smoking.

Other Causes
Other causes of white spots in mouth include tonsillitis (which causes white spots on tonsils), keratosis pharyngis, mouth ulcers etc. In case of a disease called measles one may observe the white spots in mouth, which are referred to as Koplik's spots. These white spots are typically seen on a reddish background. These are the first oral sign of measles that are looked for as white spots in mouth of children suffering from measles.

Symptoms Accompanying White Spots in Mouth

In most of the cases, white spots in mouth are also accompanied by some other general symptom, prominent ones among which are:

• Burning sensation in mouth
• Inability to eat food, especially spicy food due to pain, leading to loss of appetite
• Change in taste or bad taste in mouth
• In severe cases of leukoplakia and other diseases causing white patches, there may be difficulty in opening jaw or other related dental problems

These symptoms are helpful in diagnosis of the above mentioned conditions, which lead to white spots in mouth.

Treatment of White Spots in Mouth

The treatment of white spots in mouth will depend on the underlying factor causing it. If the white spots are due to candidiasis, then the patient will need to undergo oral thrush treatment in the form of antifungal drugs. If the person has ill-fitting dentures then he should get them repaired or replaced. If the white spots are due to measles, then the patient should immediately, go to the doctor and take proper treatment for this condition. For treating pre-cancerous conditions like leukoplakia, first and foremost the person will have to stop the intake of tobacco, after which the dentist will prescribe topical medications, like ointments rich in vitamin A etc.

You may also like to read more on:

• White Spots on Tongue
• White Spots on Teeth

Although, white spots in mouth are not necessarily a very serious symptom, as mentioned above, there may be instances, where this symptom may manifest as a sign of a pre-cancerous lesion. Hence, in such cases, it is important to get the exact cause diagnosed, so as to treat the condition on a priority basis to prevent any further complications.