The Tongue's Role in Assessing Oral Health

You may not give your tongue much thought, yet it plays an important role in your dental health alongside your teeth and gums. Problems with your tongue may be a sign of more serious oral health issues that need medical attention.

What you need to know about your tongue and how it indicates your oral health is detailed here.

What Kind of Tongue Should You Have?

Talk to your dentist about any changes you’ve seen.

Danger Signs

If your tongue’s look has changed, it may be an indication of oral or systemic health problems. Here are some of the most frequently observed alterations and the information they may convey to you and your Northeast Philadelphia dentist:

Creamy white patches on the tongue are a telltale sign of a fungal infection. You may be suffering from lichen planus, an autoimmune disease that targets oral tissues if they have a lacy appearance. If you notice any flat white patches on your teeth that you can’t scrape away, you should talk to your dentist about the possibility of oral cancer.

Lipomas: There are a variety of causes for little bumps on the tongue. The formation of temporary lingual papillitis, or “lie bumps” on the tongue’s tip, is an immune response to discomfort. Canker sores are likely if the bumps are small, red, and painful and if they’re on the underside of your tongue. It’s also possible that the bumps on your tongue are viral in origin. But if your uncomfortable tongue lump persists for more than a few days, you should contact your dentist.

Papillae of the tongue can develop dark fur when dead skin cells begin to accumulate on them due to the accumulation of dead skin cells. They grow in length and eventually produce a net that catches debris like food, bacteria, cigarettes, and more. Good dental hygiene, such as daily brushing of the tongue and the use of a tongue scraper, can usually put an end to the problem.

A burning sensation on the tongue could be due to an illness, acid reflux, dry mouth, or eating too many acidic foods. It could also be a sign of nerve damage. A persistent burning feeling in the mouth warrants a visit to the dentist.