A healthy tongue is pink in color. If your tongue color is white, yellow, orange, red, black, purple, gray, green or blue, it could mean you have an underlying health condition. If you have tongue discoloration that doesn't go away, tell your healthcare provider.
A pink tongue is healthy and normal. A red tongue may indicate heat in the body like a fever or a hormonal imbalance. A reddish purple tongue is a sign that there may be inflammation or an infection in the body. A pale pink tongue may be a sign of a vitamin deficiency, a weak immune system or a lack of energy.
'A healthy tongue is pink, moist and doesn't feel painful. The surface of your tongue is covered with little nodules and bumps called papillae, which contain our taste buds,' explains Dr Nikki Ramskill, a Livi GP.
White tongue is the result of an overgrowth and swelling of the fingerlike projections (papillae) on the surface of your tongue. The appearance of a white coating is caused by debris, bacteria and dead cells getting lodged between the enlarged and sometimes inflamed papillae.
An unhealthy tongue. If your tongue is a different colour than pink, or has large patches of white, brown, black, or another colour, this might indicate a specific health issue. Similarly, if you have large bumps or no bumps at all, you may also want to speak to a doctor.
Healthy tongue color is pink, though the specific shades may range from light to dark. A healthy, normal-colored tongue also has small bumps all over its surface. These are papillae. They help you speak, taste, chew and swallow.
Deficiencies in B6 or B12 may lead to a swollen, sore or yellow tongue, along with teeth indentations and fissures on the surface of the tongue. Iron: An iron deficiency can lead to a swollen tongue and painful sores in the mouth.
When someone is dehydrated, the tongue appears dry and typically has a white or white-to-yellowish coating. In some cases, the tongue can appear patchy or splotchy. If your tongue commonly sticks to the roof of your mouth, you are dehydrated!
A healthy tongue is typically pink in color and covered with papillae (tiny bumps) which contain your taste buds and assist with chewing food. Indications of an unhealthy tongue include different coloration besides pink, spots or patches (such as white, brown, or black spots), open sores, etc.
Rarely, yellow tongue may be a sign of jaundice, a yellowing of the eyes and skin, which sometimes indicates liver or gallbladder problems. Self-care is usually all that's needed to treat yellow tongue, unless it's related to another medical condition.
A white tongue is common and usually nothing to worry about. It often gets better with some hydration and good oral hygiene habits. Brush your teeth and tongue twice a day, and try to reduce the sugar in your diet. Quit tobacco products if you smoke or chew, and cut back on alcohol use.
White tongue usually isn't harmful, but you should see your dentist or provider if your tongue (or even just its appearance) is bothering you or if you're having any pain. This way, they can find any health risks early and treat you before things worsen.
Signs of your body undergoing excessive stress can show up on your tongue as unusual redness, sores, and ulcers. Also, if your tongue appears to have marks around the edges, that could signify consistently biting your tongue as a reaction to stress.
There are simple measures you can try to help keep your mouth moist. For example, it may help to: increase your fluid intake – take regular sips of cold water or an unsweetened drink. suck on sugar-free sweets or chew sugar-free gum – this can stimulate your salivary glands to produce more saliva.
B12 deficiency will also make the tongue sore and beefy-red in color. Glossitis, by causing swelling of the tongue, may also cause the tongue to appear smooth.
What Is Anemia Tongue? Also referred to as glossitis, this condition causes the tongue to become inflamed and is characterized by several things when your iron levels are low. The tongue's appearance can morph into multiple shades of red and swell slightly in size.
It is mainly characterized by an inflamed or swollen tongue in multiple shades of red. Other symptoms include the difficulty or inability to chew, swallow or speak, tongue pain or tenderness, and the loss of the papillae, or those bumps on your tongue that house your taste buds.
Keeping this in mind, brushing your tongue is critical in removing all of the bacteria and germs from your mouth. If you do not brush your tongue, you are skipping a large area where many bacteria gather in colonies, and eventually cause trouble in your mouth.
Proper Tongue Positioning
When your mouth is at rest, your tongue should be against the roof of your mouth, but it should not be pressing against any of your teeth. Your teeth should be slightly apart, and your lips should be closed.