3 Things Your Tongue Can Tell You
Did you know that your tongue can actually tell you things about your health? It is true! Tongues are not
just for tasting the food that you are eating or the drinks you are drinking.
Here are three things that your tongue can tell you:
1 – If you have a yeast overgrowth
A typical healthy tongue usually a pretty shade of pink. If you notice that your tongue is coated in a
white substance or white lesions, try to brush it all off. If the white part does not come off, you most
likely have thrush – a yeast overgrowth in the oral cavity.
Thrush is easily treated by an antifungal medication in the form of tablets, lozenges, or even a
mouthwash.
2 – If you have a vitamin deficiency
As mentioned above, your tongue’s natural hue should be a light shade of pink. If you notice that your
tongue has a red appearance, it is likely you are suffering from a vitamin deficiency. The most common
culprits are vitamin B-12 or folic acid. Both can be confirmed by a simple blood test.
If you have a vitamin deficiency, you will most likely be prescribed supplements to take every day or
powders to add to your smoothies.
3 – If you have a fever
When you are sick, you may have noticed that the appearance of your tongue can change (and if you
haven’t noticed it before, maybe now you will!). Some adults have found that when they are running a
fever, their tongue has irregular red bumpy patches on it. Usually this is just an indication that your body
is fighting off a fever.
If you notice some redness and irregular bumps, take your temperature! You may discover that you are
sick. The redness will usually go away once your body has fought the fever and your temperature
decreases.
There are of course other things that your tongue can tell you, some more serious like you have
Kawasaki Disease (redness) and some minor, like you have a mild food allergy (slight soreness). Just like
with anything else in your body, if you notice a change or something that looks strange, make sure to
call us to check it out!
