A centripetal force (from Latin centrum center and petere to seek) is a force that makes a body follow a curved path. Its direction is always orthogonal to the motion of the body and towards the fixed point of the instantaneous center of curvature of the path.
There are a number of things that can cause a whitish coating or white spots to develop on the tongue, including the f ollowing: 1  Leukoplakia. 2  Oral thrush. 3  Oral lichen planus.
White spots or patches on the tongue (and other oral structures) can be due to leukoplakia (precancerous lesion), oral thrush (yeast infection), or oral lichen planus (an inflammatory disorder of the mouth). Oral lichen planus can also appear as a lace-like pattern on the tongue and the inside of the cheeks.