See What Your Tongue Is Telling Others About Your Overall Health

What's that on your tongue? Did you know that those spots, patches or bumps on your tongue say something about your overall health? Most people ignore them — especially if they aren't painful — and assume they will disappear on their own with time. It's time to go to a dental clinic to see a dentist if you find such marks on your tongue. See what your tongue is saying about your health:

White Patches

Creamy white spots develop on your tongue due to a fungal infection known as thrush. White patches also appear when the bacterial-balance is taking place in the mouth after medications or an illness. Lacy white patches occur due to lichen planus—a condition where your immune system attacks your mouth tissues. Leukoplakia is also another condition that causes white patches on your tongue which is cancer-linked. Most dentists confirm it when the hard, flat, white sections on the tongue are hard to scrap away and recommend the most appropriate treatment.

Smooth Tongue

You thought you have a healthy tongue now that you don't have any small bumps on it, but wait a minute! A glossy red tongue with no single small bump on it indicates a dental problem, and it means that time for a dental clinic visit has come. Lack of adequate nutrients such as B vitamins, folic acid, or iron will cause a smooth tongue. Celiac disease, infections and some medications also cause the smooth-tongue condition. You have a geographic tongue if you find some smooth patches next to bumpy areas. Although a geographic tongue is usually harmless, most dentists link it to lichen planus or psoriasis, and they easily treat it when diagnosed early.

Hairy Tongue

It's uncommon to find 'hair' on your tongue without a health concern behind it. You have a hairy tongue if the coating of your tongue looks like white, brown or black fur. But what are those hairs? They are simply proteins that turn the usual small bumps into some larger strands where bacteria, food and other particles get caught. The hairy coating should do away once you scrape or brush your tongue. If it doesn't, you should visit your dentist for a further dental examination to see if you have developed oral hairy leukoplakia. HIV and EPV victims are more likely to develop this problem, but frequent dental clinic visits mitigate it.

Your tongue doesn't just help you to differentiate tastes or sing, talk, swallow or create certain sounds. It tells others a lot about your overall health. Schedule a dental clinic visit as soon as you spot any of the above signs to keep your overall health in good shape. Most of these problems are diagnosed and treated during usual dental clinic visits or check-ups. 

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