Article by Dr. Manuela Mereu
Tongue is the mirror of our health, a litmus test of our well-being.
Observing the tongue is a fundamental step of the dental examination: the color and morphology of the tongue can in fact be the alarm bell for various diseases.
The tongue in good health should be pink at the edges and lighter in the center, with smooth edges and sufficiently moist.
In addition, it must be able to flex out and touch the palate.
A tongue that has a yellow or whitish patina can be accompanied by a flu state, a viral or fungal infection.
A very red tongue on the edges can indicate an intestinal infection.
Sometimes the tongue appears fissured with erythematous areas delimited by whitish borders (geographic tongue).
In most cases there are no symptoms, in some cases burning is associated with the intake of spicy or hot foods. When the clinical picture becomes complicated, it is good to request a consultation with the otolaryngologist.
Very often the alterations of the tongue are associated with a deficiency of B vitamins, and with its integration the symptoms improve.
Bad breath is a frequent symptom: the stagnation of bacteria in the fissures is the cause and this prove once more the importance of daily tongue hygiene.
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