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Quantification of tongue coating using quantitative light-induced fluorescence-digital image analysis and its
Raghavendra Shanbhog1, Gunica Harjai, Saisaumya Tiwari
1Department of Paediatric and Preventive Dentistry, JSS Dental College and Hospital, A Constituent College of JSS Academy of Higher Education and Research, Mysore, Karnataka, India.
Background:
The tongue coating is a grayish-white deposit that quickly reflects the state of health or disease of the human body. Quantitative light-induced fluorescence (QLF) is a novel digital imaging system that objectively quantifies tongue coating.
Aims:
The present study aims to evaluate the correlation between the visual assessment of tongue coating and tongue coating by analysis of QLF-digital (QLF-D) images.
Settings And Design:
This was an in vivo explorative study.
Materials And Methods:
Fifty children aged 11-13 years with clinically visible tongue coating were selected for the study. Tongue coating was assessed clinically by the Tongue Coating Index (Shimizu et al., 2007) and digitally by QLF-D Biluminator™ 2, C3 software.
Statistical Analysis:
Data obtained were subjected to statistical analysis using SPSS 23.0 software. Spearman's rho correlation test was done, and P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.
Results:
A statistically significant correlation was found between the visual assessment scoring and the QLF image analysis for the evaluation of tongue coating.
Conclusion:
The Digital QLF tongue imaging system was found to be reliable due to its correlation with the clinical score and objective nature.
