{"id":178,"date":"2022-02-22T17:52:00","date_gmt":"2022-02-22T17:52:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.kramerdmd.com\/blog\/?p=178"},"modified":"2024-09-24T04:05:58","modified_gmt":"2024-09-24T04:05:58","slug":"how-to-clean-your-tongue-and-what-it-says-about-your-dental-health","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.kramerdmd.com\/blog\/how-to-clean-your-tongue-and-what-it-says-about-your-dental-health\/","title":{"rendered":"What Your Tongue Says About Your Dental Health"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignleft size-large is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.kramerdmd.com\/blog\/how-to-clean-your-tongue-and-what-it-says-about-your-dental-health\/\" class=\"block-image-link\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.kramerdmd.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/AdobeStock_307630025__1___1648401006_14901.jpg\" alt=\"person sticking their tongue out\" class=\"wp-image-179\" width=\"304\" height=\"202\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.kramerdmd.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/AdobeStock_307630025__1___1648401006_14901.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.kramerdmd.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/AdobeStock_307630025__1___1648401006_14901-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.kramerdmd.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/AdobeStock_307630025__1___1648401006_14901-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 304px) 100vw, 304px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Have you ever thought about how important your tongue is? This muscular organ lets you properly eat and digest food, swallow, and speak. Your tongue also helps protect your body from germs that enter through your mouth. Though your tongue plays a big part in protecting your pearly whites from harm, it can also indicate when something is wrong. Read on to learn more about different health issues your tongue can show signs of and how to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kramerdmd.com\/dental-checkups-and-cleanings.html\">properly clean it<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A White Tongue<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>A healthy tongue is typically pink in color, but there are some slightly darker or lighter variations. If your tongue has a white coating or white spots, this may be a sign of:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>Leukoplakia<\/strong> \u2013 People who use tobacco products are more likely to develop this condition. This can happen when the tongue is irritated and may be a precursor to oral cancer.<\/li><li><strong>Oral lichen planus<\/strong> \u2013 This condition results in a network of raised white lines on the tongue and usually resolves on its own.<\/li><li><strong>Oral thrush<\/strong> \u2013 This is a yeast infection that develops in the mouth and is more common in infants, the elderly, diabetics, and people who take inhaled steroids.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A Red Tongue<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If your tongue is red in color, this may be a sign of:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>A vitamin deficiency<\/strong> \u2013 A vitamin B-12 or folic acid deficiency can cause this and may increase your risk of gum disease.<\/li><li><strong>Scarlet fever<\/strong> \u2013 This infection causes the tongue to look bumpy and red. It may also cause pain when chewing or swallowing. Scarlet fever is easy to cure, but leaving it untreated can lead to enamel damage.<\/li><li><strong>Geographic tongue<\/strong> \u2013 Symptoms include smooth, red patches on the top or sides of the tongue that may change size, location, or shape before clearing up. The cause of a geographic tongue is unknown, but it\u2019s usually harmless.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A Black and \u201cHairy\u201d Tongue<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The tiny bumps that give the tongue its rough texture are called papillae. If they get too long, they\u2019ll be more likely to harbor bacteria, which can cause your tongue to look black and hairy. This condition is not common and is not usually serious. Diabetics, people with bad oral hygiene, those who take antibiotics, and people receiving chemotherapy are more likely to develop this issue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A Sore or Bumpy Tongue<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Bruxism, which is characterized by teeth grinding or jaw clenching, can irritate the sides of your tongue and cause painful bumps to form. Additionally, tongue lumps or sores that don\u2019t go away within two weeks may be a sign of oral cancer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to Clean Your Tongue<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Cleaning your tongue properly can help you avoid many of the above issues. Tongue scrapers are the most effective tool to use, but a soft-bristled toothbrush will also work. Stick out your tongue and place your chosen instrument toward the back of it. Press it against your tongue and pull it toward the front. Run the tool under warm water to clear away debris and spit out excess saliva before repeating these steps. Do so until there&#8217;s no more debris.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>By regularly cleaning your tongue and visiting your dentist every six months, you can lessen your chances of developing these issues. This will allow you to maintain a healthy mouth and a lovely smile!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">About the Practice<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Oral health issues are never any fun, but Dr. James K. Kramer and his exceptional team can help you prevent them. They offer a range of preventive services, such as checkups and cleanings, to help you maintain a healthy mouth and a gorgeous grin. Are you interested in making an appointment or do you want more information on their services? Call Dr. James K. Kramer\u2019s office at (302) 436-5133 or visit his <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kramerdmd.com\/contact.html\">website<\/a> today.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Have you ever thought about how important your tongue is? This muscular organ lets you properly eat and digest food, swallow, and speak. Your tongue also helps protect your body from germs that enter through your mouth. Though your tongue plays a big part in protecting your pearly whites from harm, it can also indicate when something is wrong. Read on to learn more about different health issues your tongue can show signs of and how to properly clean it. <a class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.kramerdmd.com\/blog\/how-to-clean-your-tongue-and-what-it-says-about-your-dental-health\/\">(Read More)<\/a>","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-178","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>How to Clean Your Tongue\u00a0&amp; Health Issues Selbyville | Dr. James Kramer<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Do you know how to clean your tongue the right way? Here\u2019s the right way to do it and what your tongue can say about your oral health.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.kramerdmd.com\/blog\/how-to-clean-your-tongue-and-what-it-says-about-your-dental-health\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"How to Clean Your Tongue\u00a0&amp; Health Issues Selbyville | Dr. James Kramer\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Do you know how to clean your tongue the right way? 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