Your Tongue

The reason I am blogging about this topic is because when I woke up this morning I felt a slight burning sensation on the tip of my tongue. Being a dentist, I went to the mirror for a quick exam and I realized I must have burned it a little on the delicious, but very hot pasta last night at Zeppoli. It got me thinking about just how important the tongue really is.  It is a big part of your mouth but you probably have never given it much thought, unless, like me, you were very hungry and bit into something too hot! Have you looked at your tongue today? This question may seem very strange but when a dentist looks in your mouth, it is one of the first things he or she checks.  You are probably wondering why, don't dentists just care about teeth? There are actually a few different reasons the tongue is of such importance. The most important in my opinion is it can manifest signs of oral cancer.  When you come in for your 6 month checkup you may think it is only for the usual tooth scraping and polish, but I  check every surface in your mouth for signs of cancer and other health issues.  By keeping up with your routine cleaning schedule it is more likely that I can find early signs and hopefully avoid serious problems.  I look specifically at the tongue for red lesions, ulcerations, white patches, and other signs and symptoms that I and all dentist are trained to look for. You probably just ran to a mirror to do an exam of your own!   Sores on the tongue can be brought on my trauma, eating acidic food, toothpaste/ mouthwash, or even stress!  If you notice a sore, or anything else on the tongue that does not go away within 2 week, schedule an appointment with your dentist so we can do an exam on the area.  Is your tongue pale or white?  This could simply be due to dehydration but it also can be a sign of a nutritional deficiency in your diet. If you have persistent dry mouth due to medications or other reasons, I recommend trying Biotene mouth rinse and using sugar-free mints or candy, emphasis on sugar-free. Tobacco irritation can also cause white areas.  If you use tobacco in any form, please stop, because you are putting yourself at an incredibly increased risk for oral cancer. If your tongue is swollen and does not return to its normal size within a reasonable amount of time it may be caused by a strep infection, hypothyroidism, or a reaction to food, medicine, or something you had to drink.  It can also be a sign of leukemia.  You may not think of your dentist as a person that diagnoses cancer but believe me, oral manifestations of cancer come early.  We have referred many patients to a specialist after abnormal findings from doing an oral cancer screening and unfortunately sometimes it is cancer. These are things for you to be aware of but please consult with your dentist for a professional examination.  On a different note, have you ever been told you have bad breath? Your tongue may be the culprit! Bacteria builds up on your tongue, especially on the top surface and toward the back near your throat. What can you do? Buy a tongue scraper.  You will be amazed at how much debris and bacteria you can scrape off of your tongue. Also, when you brush your teeth, make sure you carefully brush your gums and all surfaces in the mouth, especially the tongue!  I also recommend an antiseptic mouth rinse, such as Liserine. This should get your breath minty fresh and get you on the way to a healthy smile!

If you are overdue for your cleaning please schedule an appointment today so we can help you achieve oral and overall health.  wooleydentistry.com  (856) 797-8600.