Our tongue is not “just another body part or an organ” that performs the function of tasting and swallowing the food we eat. It surprisingly provides clues to your oral health and overall health. The traditional medicines of India, the Siddha, and the Ayurveda medicine systems tell that our tongue is an external map of the inner organ’s health. Let us know more.

Characteristics of a Healthy Tongue

(1) It should be uniformly pink
(2) It should neither be too thick nor too thin
(3) The width of the tongue has to be even and it should be oval in shape
(4) It should remain straight when you stick out and not to one side.
(5) It should remain still and strong, not wobbling here and there. It should neither be loose or stiff.
(6) A healthy tongue has a thin transparent or white coating.
(7) It should display all taste buds and it should be free from red or glassy patches, deep cuts, and denuded patches.
(8) It should be neither too dry nor too wet.
(9) It should not give any bad odor or taste.
(10) The veins on the underside of the tongue should not be swollen.

Few Oral Health Indicators of the Tongue

(1) White Coating – The normal color of the tongue is a shade of pink. If your tongue exhibits this normal color, it might be a sign of your good health. If it has a white coating, it could be oral thrush. Yeast overgrowth in the oral cavity is referred to as Oral Thrush. Normally thin coating would go away if you develop the habit of tongue cleaning using a tongue cleaner or your toothbrush. If the white coating disappears after a few days, you don’t need to worry. If it does not you can consult your dentist.
(2) White Patches – If your tongue has white patches it can be due to smoking or tobacco. This condition is called Leukoplakia. Consult your dentist to find a solution for this. Sometimes such white patches appear due to oral cancer. A visit to the dentist can also serve to rule out oral cancer.
(3) Canker Sores – Sometimes your tongue can be sensitive in few spots or completely all over. Under such conditions, you might develop canker sores. Unless the canker sores disappear within a week or two, it should not be a cause of worry. If it does not, consult your dentist.
(4) Hairy Tongue – Sometimes your tongue might seem to have strands of hair-like structures. A protein buildup in the tongue is said to cause this. Proper tongue cleaning should take care of this. If the hairy tongue still persists, consult your dentist.

Few Overall Health Indicators of the Tongue

(1) Red tongue – If your tongue is red in color (often termed beefy red tongue) it can be signs of a disease called Scarlet fever. It is a rare bacterial illness that develops in some people who have strep throat. This type of fever features a bright red rash that covers most of the body along with the said beefy red tongue. The redness of the skin and tongue usually lasts for a week and then it can start getting complicated. Simple antibiotic treatments are available these days to treat scarlet fever.
(2) Pale Pink Color of the Tongue – It may indicate conditions like anemia, or low blood pressure
(3) Yellow Color of the Tongue – It can be due to excess bile from the liver or gallbladder. It can indicate jaundice too.
(4) Thick White Coating – It may indicate a toxin or fungal buildup in the internal organs.
(5) Dry Tongue – This can be due to old age, taking certain medicines, due to certain cancer therapies.

Your dentist serves as the first person to notice such indications of your tongue. A comprehensive oral checkup that comes with regular dental visits is the best way to get on to these indications and positively work around them.