By taking a close look at your tongue and observing it’s colour you can know the state of your health.
Your tongue should be a nice pinkish colour but if you have any change in its colour you should take it seriously.
How Important Is Your Tongue?
Your tongue is made up of a number of muscles and it helps you to talk, swallow and taste your food and drinks.
A change in your tongue colour could be indicative of a health problem or even a deficiency in vital nutrients like vitamins.
Here’s what some colors of your tongue mean
A Black Tongue
When you have a build-up of fungi and bacteria in your body it can manifest in a black tongue. You could also have a black tongue as a result of smoking cigarettes and also because of certain types of food and drinks. You need to step up your oral hygiene with a mouth wash, you can consult your doctor for antibiotics prescription for the bacteria and fungi accumulation.
Having A Yellow Tongue
A yellow colored tongue is also indicative of bacteria build up. Another reason for a yellow tongue is due to an inflammation of the papillae when there is excessive dryness in the mouth or a heightened state of dehydration. Cigarette smoking can also be a factor and also if you tend to breathe through your mouth instead of your nose.
You can improve the state of your tongue with good oral hygiene as well as drinking enough water.
A White Tongue
A white tongue could be as a result of the following reasons;
- A fungal infection of the oral cavity mucus membrane, usually the fungal infections is caused by genus candida.
- The use of a certain antibiotics.
- It could also be as a result of leukoplakia which is a sort of lesion that could be indicative of the early signs of cancer.
Apart from these change in colour to your tongue, you could also experience pain as well as nodules.
Here are reasons why this could occur.
- Anxiety and stress can cause ulceration of the tongue.
- Anaemia and even diabetes could be responsible for swelling of the tongue.
- Cigarette smoking can make your tongue hurt due to an irritation.
- Having cuts on the tongue can lead to an increased risk of a fungal infection.
- At post menopause it is not uncommon for women to having their tongue give a tingling feeling.
If you have pain in your tongue you need to consult your doctor as quickly as you can. You should avoid excessive drinking and also quit cigarette smoking altogether to avoid oral cancer.
