You may not spend much time thinking about your tongue although it is an essential part of the speech process and your ability to eat! However, what you may not realize is that your oral health and overall health are linked. As such, you may be surprised at how much your tongue can tell you about your health.
It’s worth knowing what your tongue can share, as this will help you seek medical aid when needed. It can even help with your children and help them to feel more confident when visiting a reputable pediatric dentist Sydney.
Black Tongue
A completely black tongue is scary but a tongue that is tinged back is less noticeable. If you think your tongue is starting to look black and is becoming hairy you may want to consider your oral health routine. A black and hairy tongue is a sign of poor oral health or a warning sign of diabetes.
Red & White Spots
If you have red and white pots all across your tongue it is generally an indication of worn taste buds. This can happen when you have exposed yourself to sour or hot flavors constantly. It can also occur when you have burned your tongue.
Fortunately, the tongue regenerates quickly and this will pass.
White Tongue
A white tongue is a sign of a yeast infection. Yeast is a type of fungus that likes to grow in damp places. It is surprisingly easy to pick up the fungus but the good news is that it is also very easy to treat. Simply visit your doctor or dentist and they will prescribe an anti-fungal rinse or a pill. This should clear up in a few days.
Deep red Color
A deep red color suggests that you are low in folic acid, iron, or even vitamin B. You will need to look at your nutritional intake to evaluate whether this needs to be adjusted.
Deep red-colored tongues are also common when you have a throat infection, such as strep throat, or when you have a fever.
Webbed Tongue
You don’t actually get a web growing on your tongue or several tongues attached with webbing. But, you do get the appearance of stripes or webbing on your tongue. This is an indication of oral lichen planus. It is a sign that your immune system is attacking the cells in your body and you need medical attention.
Bumpy Tongue
A bumpy tongue is generally a sign that you have canker cores and cold sores. Of course, these may already be visible to you but your tongue is backing up your diagnosis and encouraging you to get medical help.
Ridges
Ridges on your tongue, particularly around the edge, are due to you pressing your teeth against your tongue while you sleep. This can often be a sign of stress. The good news is the ridges will disappear by themselves.
Your tongue offers a useful glimpse into your overall health, pay attention to it!
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