A DOCTOR has revealed what your Tongue says about your health – and some signs can be very serious.
Rheumatology specialist Dr. Siobhan Deshauer has outlined what your tongue can mean for your health.
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She told her 918,000 YouTube subscribers the size and colour of your tongue can reveal a lot about what’s going on inside your body.
RED AND SMOOTH
Dr. Siobhan states that a healthy tongue should be “pink and have little bumps” on its surface.
Those with a darker colour or smooth could indicate there is an issue.
She said: “A normal healthy tongue is pink with little bumps”.
“But if your tongue looks red and smooth – we call this glossitis – it can be from a nutritional deficiency.”
Another important aspect to keep tabs on is your tongue’s size – as swelling could be symptomatic of a serious condition.
“If your tongue suddenly gets bigger, it’s probably an allergic reaction or an infection”, Siobhan said.
“But if this is happening slowly over time and your tongue is continuing to grow, [it’s probably] hypothyroidism, which is when your body isn’t making enough thyroid hormone, or acromegaly, which is when it’s making too much growth hormone.
‘It could also be amyloidosis, where amyloid proteins get deposited into your organs, including the tongue, which would make it grow.”
COTTAGE CHEESE
Dr. Siobhan explained that a white coating on your tongue is only a problem if it persists – and could signal an oral infection.
She continued: “If you brush your tongue, the white coating should go away.
“But if it doesn’t, it may mean you have thrush, or oral candidiasis – a yeast infection.”
Dr. Siobhan explained that thrush occurs when someone starts taking antibiotics.
The change of bacteria in your mouth “gives yeast an opportunity to grow” which can result in “milk curds of cottage cheese” to appear on your tongue – and monitoring it is vital.
DRY MOUTH
A lack of saliva production can also forewarn health issues.
Those who don’t have a healthy amount of spit in their mouth – or “salivary pooling” – may be contending with Sjogren’s syndrome, a very rare yet debilitating disease.
She said: “It’s an autoimmune disease that can affect the whole body, it causes very dry eyes and very dry mouth.
“Some people with Sjorgren’s barely make any saliva. You can just imagine how uncomfortable that would be.
“It causes major issues with their dental health, plus, their tongue can get so dry that it becomes painful and cracked.”
HAIRY TONGUE
While it sounds strange, it is not uncommon.
Hairy tongues are caused by a build-up of keratin – a protein which helps form the tissues of the hair, nails, and the outer layer of the skin.
For those pining for a smooth tongue, Dr. Siobhan assures you: “It’s reversible.
“With a lot of brushing and scraping, his tongue went back to normal.”
FREQUENT TONGUE ULCERS
Canker sores, or mouth ulcers, are again a commonplace issue.
These are small, shallow lesions that develop on the soft tissues in your mouth or at the base of your gums – and can be painful.
While most will wear off after a couple of weeks, recurring ulcers may suggest a number of issues.
Dr. Siobhan said: “If I see a patient that has recurrent oral ulcers, then there’s a long list of conditions that come to mind that we have to think about.
“It could be lupus, Crohn’s disease, Bechet’s, reactive arthritis, vasculitis, PFAPA syndrome, folate deficiency, B12 deficiency, herpes, HIV, an allergic reaction, or pemphigoid.
Other sores could point to something far more serious.
She continued: “If you have one that’s not going away after a couple of weeks or you feel a new lump on your tongue, you have to think about cancer.
“You have to go in and get it checked out by your doctor right away. Tongue cancers don’t normally hurt or cause any issues early on, so if you notice something go and check it out to be safe.”
MULTIPLE TONGUE MOVEMENTS
Your tongue is capable of performing four different movements.
These include: rolling, the clover leaf, folding, and twisting – and the ability to do all four is an abnormality.
Dr Siobhan warned: “If you were able to do the movements now but notice that you can’t in a year from now, then you’d wonder, is there a neurological issue?”
Trying the Mallampati score – or how much of the back of your throat you can see when you open your mouth – can be a suggestion of issues with sleep.
“If you have a high Mallampati score and you know that you snore, it’s probably a good idea to get a sleep study to see if you have sleep apnea.”
What your tongue could reveal about your health
A red and smooth tongue – Vitamin deficiency.
“A normal healthy tongue is pink with little bumps”, Dr. Siobhan said.
“But if your tongue looks red and smooth – we call this glossitis – it can be from a nutritional deficiency.”
A white layer on your tongue resembling cottage – Thrush, or oral candidiasis – a yeast infection.
Brushing your tongue will help remove that white coating.
If it doesn’t, it’s likely you are afflicted with one of the two.
A dry mouth – Sjogren’s syndrome – an autoimmune disease.
A hairy tongue – No cause for concern.
For those with unwelcome hair, “a lot of brushing and scraping” is the solution, Dr. Siobhan says.
An ability to make four different tongue movements – A neurological disorder or sleep apnoea.
Only five percent of people can perform the four movements: rolling, the clover leaf, folding, and twisting.
If you are one of them, it could signify a neurological issue.
It comes after a hair expert lifted the lid on what your hair says about your hormones.
The Sun Online have also compiled warning signs by experts that you could be losing your hearing.
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