Have you ever wondered why a doctor examines a patient’s tongue during a clinical examination? In fact, the changed color of the tongue can reveal the state of health and the severity of the disease and thus help in assessing the condition appropriately.
When the tongue appears pink, this confirms the health of the person, while a slight change, pressure or pain in the tongue can indicate certain health problems.
Below we will learn about the color of your tongue which tells you about the health of your body.
White tongue
White spots on the tongue can indicate a serious health problem or just a hygiene issue such as:
Oral candidiasis
An overgrowth of the Candida albicans fungus causes oral thrush or other yeast infections. These fungi are always present in your mouth and are completely harmless. Symbiotic bacteria in your body keep this fungus in check if your immune system is working properly.
However, if your immune health deteriorates or bacterial growth is disrupted, the fungus can spread out of control, causing the tongue to appear increasingly white or patchy.
leukoplakia
Leukoplakia usually occurs in the mucous tissues of the mouth, resulting in thick, white, or gray patches. Mild leukoplakia is not very dangerous and goes away on its own, but the advanced stages of this condition may indicate oral cancer or a serious disease.
Oral lichen planus
The immune response causes oral lichen planus to affect the oral mucosa, and swollen tissues, white patches, and open sores are common in this condition.
red tongue
A red tongue can be a sign of a lack of certain nutrients or problems in the mouth, such as:
Vitamin B12 deficiency
A deficiency of folic acid or vitamin B12 can lead to a red tongue. Therefore, you should definitely increase your vitamin intake by eating a nutritious diet.
Benign migratory glossitis
It is a harmless, non-contagious condition that creates map-like patterns on your tongue, and this condition can be a prominent symptom of various allergies, deficiencies, diabetes, or stress.
scarlet fever;
A bacterial disease that makes your tongue red and swollen, and if left untreated, scarlet fever can lead to more serious conditions affecting the heart, kidneys, and other organs.
Kawasaki disease
A common disease similar to scarlet fever but mainly affects infants and children. It causes the tongue to appear red, along with other symptoms such as high fever, vasculitis, and so on.
Black tongue
The papillae on the tongue’s muscle epithelium are known to grow throughout life, but the unusually prolonged growth of these hairy bumps may be more susceptible to bacteria that darken your tongue.
Therefore, regular good dental hygiene is recommended to prevent such cases. Black tongue is also seen in diabetics or cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy.
If the texture of your tongue looks abnormal or your tongue is bumpy or painful and you don’t accidentally bite your tongue or it hurts after eating something hot, you just need to see a doctor.
Since these symptoms may indicate sores, cancer, or fungal spores, any pigmentation, soreness, or tenderness of the tongue requires treatment and evaluation by a medical professional.
