Tongue can tell about your health (2)

A bumpy surface

The filiform papillae-projections on the top of the tongue, including the taste buds-normally defend a little. But occasionally we will get temporarily inflamed, red, and a little sore. As with canker sores, as long as the region returned to normal within a period of several days, the inflammation is most likely harmless. "But if it turns very red or white, is painful and tender, and most importantly, does not go further, it could be a sign of oral cancer," warns Josephson.

Red and painful

When the language of health to changes in light pink or dark red, which may be an indication of certain nutritional deficiencies, including a lack of niacin (also called vitamin B3), a condition known as pellagra. Other issues of nutrition can also cause this strange color. Anemia or lack of food with folic acid and vitamin B-12 May is to blame. But temporary redness and pain in the language is more likely caused by something you ate or drank. Sensitivity to certain flavors of toothpaste, mouthwash or gum (like cinnamon) and acidic foods (like pineapple) are potential culprits. If you suffer from frequent episodes of pain of the language, you can try to eliminate these foods from your diet to see if irritation rises.

Turning yellow

A yellow on the tongue is probably an indication that there is a sort of bacterial or fungal infection of the mouth. Another possible cause of the language is yellowing gastric reflux. "It May be that the acid rearranges the mouth of the normal bacterial flora, and some of May he have a yellow hue," says Josephson. Sometimes, changes in the language of color can occur in patches to a condition known as "Geographic Tongue". In this case, some spots on the tongue will become yellow, while other areas remain normal and pink.

A burning sensation

Burning mouth syndrome, also called oral dysesthesia, is not well understood condition that goes beyond the mere consumption of certain foods that cause a temporary tingling sensation. Disease is characterized by pain and burning that can affect the language or the whole mouth, the sensation of May, it is common / May come and go throughout the day. For reasons that are unclear, burning mouth syndrome most commonly affects women after menopause. "There may be some damage to the nerves of the tongue are somehow linked to hormonal changes of menopause," says Josephson. Other possible causes of bacterial infections, dry mouth (a side effect of certain drugs) or nutritional deficiencies. A cure is elusive, but some of the current treatments for the management of the syndrome include burning of the mouth of drinking water more often, chewing gum (to fight against the drought mouth), and anti-anxiety drugs or anti-depressants.

Pale and smooth

When people suffer from iron deficiency anemia, the language may take an abnormally pale, good eye. "It's because when your body is facing a lack of iron, your blood does not contain the necessary oxygen, the ability to keep the tissues red," says Josephson. And the result of this lack of oxygen in the blood, all tissues, including the language, became pale and, well, anemic. When anemia is under control and the blood is once more oxygen, the language will return to its healthy pink shade.