If you want to check out your health, make sure you stick out your tongue and look in the mirror. When the tongue is healthy, it’s pink and covered with small nodules. But, what when it’s not?
Any deviation from its normal appearance or ache is a symptom that something’s happening. This is why it’s important to look into it from time to time.
If you notice some of these changes, it’s trying to tell you something about your health.
7 Things Your Tongue Reveals about Your Health
- Red tongue
A possible vitamin deficiency-according to experts, being low on vitamin B12 and folic acid may trigger the tongue’s inflammatory processes and thus, make it look red.
- Red & bumpy
This may be a sign of scarlet fever.
This infection makes the tongue look bumpy and red. If you’re down with a fever and the tongue is looking like this, consult your physician because antibiotics may be necessary.
- Sore & bumpy
When you have painful tongue bumps, the causes may be several.
Some of the most common ones are trauma like biting the tongue or clenching the teeth, smoking, canker sores, and in some instances, lumps and sores that don’t heal may indicate oral cancer.
- White tongue or white spots on it
This may be a symptom of oral thrust-this yeast infection develops in the mouth; the patches are thick and it’s more common in children and elderly, especially in people with weaker immunity or those who wear dentures.
Also, it can happen after taking antibiotics.
- Black and hairy tongue
Although it looks alarming, it’s a benign problem in most cases. It may be a result of poor oral hygiene or a sign of diabetes, cancer therapy or antibiotic use.
In most cases, it goes away on its own; otherwise, consult your physician.
- Webbed or stripped tongue
This symptom may indicate a chronic condition, also known as lichen planus. It happens when the immunity begins to attack the cells in the oral cavity.
It’s most common in middle-aged women.
In case of no pain, the condition is only monitored; otherwise, one may also be prescribed meds like immunosuppresants or retionids.
- Geographic tongue or tongue with spots
Some people have this type of tongue-it’s a combo of red and white spots, reminding of a world map.
These are areas of the tongue where the taste buds have been worn down. There isn’t a treatment for this condition and it’s very common.
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