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.
In contrast, some infections, like scarlet fever, can produce red spots on the tongue. Inflammation and whitening of the tongue can also occur due to dryness or environmental irritants such as smoking or other tobacco use, and may be associated with bad breath. Inflammation of the tongue is known as glossitis.