Why Does My Tongue Look Gross

Tongues are pretty gross.

Ever wondered why part of a regular check-up involves poking your tongue out? Most of us probably have no idea that it has something important to tell, except the doctors.

Going back to the old school studies of traditional Chinese medicine, they believe that our tongue could show signs of all the possible health problems of our body.

Here are the signs that your tongue has something to say:

White Coating

Have you tried checking your tongue in front of a mirror and noticed that it has a white coating? Don’t mistake it as a dense saliva staining your tongue due to dehydration. Although, dehydration has something to do with it too, but the white coating is actually a bacteria build-up. So, If you notice patches and white spots on it, better consult a doctor because that can be an oral infection.

Photo Credit: lookfordiagnosis.com

Possible Complication:

• Liver Congestion
• Jaundice
• Lupus
• Candida
• Leukoplakia
• It can also be due to some antibiotics and medications

Dark Red or Pink Tongue

A normal tongue should be pink, it could be a lighter than pink, but definitely not the unusual kind of red. An entirely red tongue indicates an inflammation or bacterial infections that are caused by poor eating habits. But, if it’s only the sides of your tongue that are much darker red it can be a possible liver or gallbladder problem. Other than that, there are other hidden culprits such as indicated below.

Photo Credit: www.dermquest.com

Possible Complication:

• Scarlet Fever aka. Scarlatina
• Toxic Shock Syndrome or (TSS)
• Kawasaki Syndrome
• Glossitis
• Geographic Tongue

Sore Spots On The Tongue

Ever get a really sore spot on your tongue?  The case is usually mouth ulcers, small little white ‘dots’ of agony in the mouth.  Ulcers are usually caused by stress, having a cold or accidentally biting the inside of your mouth. Or If you have eaten too much of fruits that is high in acid, that can also cause your tongue to develop ulcers.  Our home remedy is to add a teaspoon of Bicarbonate of Soda to a glass of warm water and gargle a few times per day!

Possible Complication:

• Trauma (Biting tongue)
• Smoking
• Oral Cancer sores
• Enlarged papillae
• Dietetics
• Anemia

Tongue Has A Bumpy Surface

If the surface of your tongue is inflamed, it could be just an allergy caused by something you ate that just aggravated your tongue somehow. But, if the bumps look more like the unusual beefy texture (like the picture below,) that could be an indication of oral cancer, if the problem persists, get those bumps checked out by your a doctor.

Possible Complication:

• Burning Tongue Syndrome
• Canker sores
• Smoking
• Diabetes

Yellow Tinted Tongue

A Yellow Tongue doesn´t kill, but it is more than just looking like you have eaten too much chicken curry or whatever food with yellow curry. Before you panic, observe first if your skin and the white part of your eye is somewhat turning yellowish. That´s the only time you must freak out because those are signs of jaundice. But if everything is normal, you only need self-care to make sure you get rid of those dead skin cells building up.

Possible Complication:

• Strep throat
• Mononucleosis (Mono)
• HIV/ STD
• Antibiotics
• Jaundice
• UTI’s

Blue Tongue

A tongue that turns blue does not mean you have tons of bluish veins on your tongue, it should rock the alarm because there is a serious issue with your health. It is a sign of Cyanosis. This condition of insufficient oxygen supply, and rooted from diseased blood vessels, heart and respiratory problems can lead to various problems under Cyanosis.

Photo Credit: clinicalimagesinmedicine.blogspot.com

Possible Complication:

• Congenital Heart Diseases
• Asthmatic Attacks
• Pneumonia
• COPD  aka. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
• Or any type of poisoning

Black Tongue

May seem severe looking, but this is just a problem caused by those little bumps on our tongue called papillae that grow longer and traps bacteria. It can start from yellow discolouration and then it will progress to brown until it turns black with a hairy feel. Blame it to the poor hygiene, smoking, regular of a certain medication like antibiotics. The inability to produce enough saliva, due to lack water intake is also one of the causes.

Possible Complication:

• Vitamin Deficiency
• Geographic tongue
• Scarlet fever
• Antibiotics
• Chemotherapy
• Diabetes

Have you had your tongue checked lately? What does your tongue have to say about you?