Contents:
- Medical Video: 5 Signs And Symptoms Of Anxiety & Panic Attacks
- The most common tongue problems, and how to overcome them
- 1. White tongue
- 2. Red tongue
- 3. Black tongue
- 4. Swollen tongue
- 5. The tongue is difficult to move
Medical Video: 5 Signs And Symptoms Of Anxiety & Panic Attacks
Without realizing it, the condition of the tongue can reflect the health of your body. Most problems with the tongue, for example, are bitten when eating or burning tongue when eating spicy, have no problems and are easily treated. Even so,some other tongue problems can be related to more serious diseases.
The most common tongue problems, and how to overcome them
1. White tongue
White tongue is usually caused by poor oral and dental hygiene, which occurs when the papilla swells and eventually swells. Bacterial infections can cause slippery white plaques on the tongue.
In addition, the white tongue can be caused by leukoplakia and lichen planus. Leukoplakia is a white spot in the mouth that is generally harmless, but can indicate symptoms of cancer of the mouth when it causes the tongue to hurt and is accompanied by the appearance of white spots in the mouth, gums, and tongue. Meanwhile, lichen planus is an autoimmune disease that causes chronic inflammation of the skin.
White tongue problems can be treated by maintaining better oral hygiene, avoiding smoking, drinking excessive alcohol, and maintaining a healthy and balanced diet to meet nutritional needs.
2. Red tongue
Normal tongues are generally pink. Eating brightly colored foods, such as red, blue, or purple, can cause the tongue to change color.
Even so, you need to check with your doctor if your tongue is red and visiblespots with white edges shaped like a collection of islands on a map on the upper surface of the tongue and on the side. This is a sign of geographical tongue. Usually this condition can heal itself without any treatment, but consult a doctor if it lasts for more than 2 weeks.
Other causes of red tongue are vitamin B12 deficiency, symptoms of dengue fever, and Kawasaki disease which usually affects children under the age of five.
Handling the red tongue will depend on the cause of each. Generally, symptoms of pain due to red tongue can be treated with pain relievers such as ibuprofen and naproxen sodium or mouthwash containing corticosteroids. You also need to additional vitamin intake, both from food sources and vitamin supplements, to meet the body's needs.
Consult further with the doctor for details.
3. Black tongue
Even though black tongue interferes with appearance, it is actually harmless. The cause is a papilla (small pimples on the surface of the tongue) that grows elongated so that it is more easily seized by bacteria.This developing bacterium then causes the tongue to turn black.
In addition, black tongue can be caused by side effects of drugs, dry mouth, smoking habits, poor oral and dental hygiene, to the side effects of chemotherapy.
Black tongue problems usually do not require special treatment because they can return to normal like tongue color in general. But you can speed up healing by changing your healthier diet; quit smoking; and do not forget to always maintain oral hygiene, including routine brushing or rubbing the tongue.
4. Swollen tongue
Certain food allergic reactions can cause the tongue to swell. Likewise with the side effects of certain drugs, for exampleACE inhibitors for hypertension and pain relievers such as aspirin, aleve, and advil. In addition, oral herpes infections can also cause inflammation of the tongue so that it swells. Eating or drinking something hot can cause the tongue to blister and eventually swell.
Swollen tongue because hot food / drink can usually heal itself. You only need to avoid eating and drinking hot water until the tongue heals again.
To deal with other conditions, you can check with your doctor to immediately follow up with appropriate treatment.
5. The tongue is difficult to move
Problems with tongue movement are often caused by nerve damage. For example, after a stroke or recovery period after surgery.
Difficult to move tongue greatly affects the ability to swallow food and talk. Treatment that can be done for this condition is by physical therapy to help restore the work of the nerves on the tongue.
