Say aaahhh… What Your Tongue Can Tell You About Your Dental Health

Believe it or not, your tongue can provide your dentist with clues to both your oral health and your overall health.  In fact, you might be surprised what your tongue can tell you about your health. Here are a few things to keep an eye on:

White Patches on Tongue
Leukoplakia could be the cause of white patches on the tongue. It is a condition that can happen if the tongue has been irritated, such as with smoking or tobacco use. If you see white patches, though, book a dentist appointment to be on the safe side and to rule out oral cancer.

White Coating on Tongue
Your tongue is supposed to be a shade of pink. If parts of your tongue appear to be coated with a white substance, this could be oral thrush, a yeast overgrowth that occurs inside the oral cavity.

Overly Red Tongue
While an overly red tongue can be a symptom of a Kawasaki disease, it’s much more commonly associated with a vitamin deficiency, such as folic acid or B-12. The solution could be simply adding a vitamin supplement to your diet.

Tender, Sore Tongue
If your tongue is overly sensitive in one spot or all over, you could have a food allergy or a developing canker sore. If it doesn’t go away after a while, you will want to make an appointment with your dental professional.

Hairy Tongue
As odd as this sounds, sometimes a protein build-up can cause small bumps to become elongated trapping food and resulting in what looks like strands of hair on your tongue. Usually brushing or tongue scraping will take care of it, but if it doesn’t, a trip to the dentist is in order.

Of course, the best tip to ensure a healthy tongue and overall good oral health is to make and keep your appointments with your dental professional. If you haven’t lately, call your good friends at Longmeadow Family Dental Care.