Tongue colour- What it says about your health

The tongue is a very important sensory organ that allows us to taste and talk. The tongue can help you detect health issues just by looking at its colour. A normal healthy tongue should be pink in color.

Dr Kathy Jo Staheil remarks that the tongue is a unique organ to study as it lies between the interior and exterior of the body. Besides, it has a direct connection to the inner dynamics of the digestive system as well as with three doshas in the stomach, small intestines and large intestines.

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White tongue.

A thick or heavy white layer sometimes coats the surface of the tongue making it look whitish.This is called leukoplakia. While It might be caused by smoking cigarettes, it is a cause for comcern. In most cases white tongue is associated with diabetes or weakened immune system.

Source;  Draxe.com

Red tongue with white patterns

This is also called geographic tongue. Nothing should worry you much about this. However, if your tongue has a red tip it could mean you have mental or emotional stress. Psychology medics say that stress can change salivary flow and mouth hydration which might lead to overall tongue discolouring.

Source. Medical News Today

Black and hairly tongue.

The main causes of this is bacteria build up or smoking. Maintain good oral hygiene and avoid smoking. In other occasions, Pep-Bismol medication given to cure stomach issues can temporarily affect the surface of the tongue.

source; www.cmaj.ca

Yellow tongue.

“A yellow tongue can be a gradual start of diseases leading to brown or black- coloured tongue down the line,” Dr John says.

This color can send signals of liver or stomach problems. However, the yellow tongue can be a result of poor oral health. Brushing your teeth and tongue is an easy fix.

source;www.heathline.com

Brown tongue

Basically, having this color of a tongue can be caused by something you ate or drank, for example coffee. However, if the colour is permanent even after brushing, chances are you might be having lung problem caused by chronic smoking. Seek medication.

Source; MD Edge

Blue or purple tongue.

Lack of oxygen in blood can cause the tongue to have a bluish tinge. This might signal that the heart is not pumping enough blood hence less distribution of oxygen.

Source; MS Manuals

Pale tongue

This is an indicator of lack of vitamins and nutrients in the body, specifically Vitamin B12 and Vitamin A. Eat foods rich in vitamin A like spinach, kale and carrots and fish, beef, cereal for vitamin B12.