Funky tongue alert: Is your tongue begging for a healthier lifestyle?

Your tongue isn’t only there to help you eat and talk to people, it can also show signs of bad health. If your tongue looks or feels funky, it doesn’t always mean that there is a problem with your oral hygiene; the colour and texture of your tongue also tells you about digestive issues and body imbalances that you may be having. Here are some of the most common symptoms of a funky tongue and how you can reverse it to get your healthy lifestyle back:

Name: Pale tongue

 
Symptoms:A pale tongue, often accompanied by dry lips, dry skin and sensations of fatigue, lethargy, and sometimes even a mild onset of depression. A pale tongue can look thin and fragile, or puffed up and dry.    
Cause and treatment:Your blood is maybe lacking in haemoglobin, leading to anemia (low red blood cell count). You may need a higher intake of iron and vitamin B12 in your diet.

Name: Swollen tongue

Symptoms: The speed at which your tongue swells up gives a better indication to what the cause is, and so does the size of the swelling. A swollen tongue can be painful, or feel normal, which also gives a better idea of what the problem is and how to cure it. If your tongue starts bleeding, causes difficulty breathing and is accompanied by a headache, you should seek medical advice as soon as possible.
Cause and treatment: Allergic reactions to medication, seafood, peanuts etc. are a leading cause for swollen tongues; the tongue will swell within a few minutes of ingesting the specific food. These reactions range from mild to severe, with severe cases needing immediate medical attention. Infections like syphilis and herpes can also cause a swollen tongue; though other common problems include lingual papilitis, which you can get rid of with good oral hygiene and a regular use of mouth wash.

Name: Leukoplakia

Symptom: Small patches of white growing under your tongue and along the lining of your cheeks. These patches are not painful and they cannot be scraped off.
Cause and treatment: Professionals have found that smoking is the leading cause of Leukoplakia. Although these white patches are not dangerous, nor cancerous, they show that your body is starting to react negatively to your smoking habits and that you may be prone to tongue, lip or cheek cancer in the future if you don’t quit now.

Name: Black hairy tongue

Symptoms: If too much bacteria or yeast grows in your mouth, it appears as a dark and fuzzy texture on your tongue. It’s not always black in colour, the food that you eat can also make your tongue appear brown, yellow, green, etc.
Cause and treatment: It is caused by the papillae (small round bumps on your tongue) growing to an abnormal length. Improving your oral hygiene by brushing your teeth (including tongue) and flossing well everyday will take care of black hairy tongue. This also means less (well, preferably no) tobacco or caffeine. Staying hydrated also helps.

It is really important to have good dental health care throughout your life. Make sure that you are on an affordable medical aid plain that covers your trips to the dentist, oral hygienist and orthodontist.