Our tongue is essential for speaking, tasting and swallowing. But our tongues can also tell us whether our bodies are healthy or not: if our tongues are coated, if they burn and hurt, or if they are swollen, this can provide an important clue to a physical illness. We explain what a healthy tongue should look like, what’s behind a white, yellow or brown tongue coating, and what you can do if your tongue hurts or is swollen.
Functions of the tongue
The tongue has several important functions for us humans at once. First of all, it plays an important role in eating: namely, it ensures that food is moved around in the mouth. This allows the food to be crushed and salivated. When swallowing, the tongue then ensures that the crushed food is pushed into the throat. However, the tongue is not only important for processing food, but also for tasting it. A total of five different types of taste are distinguished: sweet, sour, bitter, salty and umami – which means savory-tasty. Today, we know that there are no fixed taste zones. However, the different tastes are perceived particularly strongly in certain areas:
- Sweet at the tip of the tongue
- Sour and salty at the edges of the tongue
- Bitter at the back of the tongue
- Umami in the middle of the tongue
In addition to tasting and swallowing, the tongue is also essential for speech. Because many sounds could not be formed without the help of the tongue. For example, in Parkinson’s patients, in which the mobility of the tongue often decreases over time, the quality of pronunciation decreases.
Tongue and health
Our tongue reflects the state of health of our body: if there is a disease, it is not so rare to see it in the tongue. That is why it is important to check your tongue regularly – the best way to do this is to stand in front of a mirror with daylight. Ideally, you should check the condition of your tongue directly in the morning after getting up, before brushing your teeth or drinking coffee. See if you notice any changes in terms of color or shape. If you discover anything worrisome, see a doctor – preferably a general practitioner or dentist.
If the tongue is occupied
In a healthy state, our tongue is pale red, smooth and moist. It is covered with a thin whitish coating made up of germs, food debris and old cells. However, when eating or through careful oral hygiene, this coating is usually rubbed off. Tongue diagnosis: this means spots, coatings and Co.
Color of the tongue coating
If the tongue is heavily coated, this usually indicates a disease of the body. Depending on the color of the tongue coating, different diseases come into question:
- White tongue coating: a thick, white tongue coating often indicates gastrointestinal problems. However, it can also occur as part of a cold. If the white coating is only on the right and left of the central groove, a disorder of the pancreas may also be the cause.
- Yellowish tongue coating: if the tongue is slightly yellowish coating, a fungal infection is probably the trigger. Often, this also occurs a furry feeling in the mouth. Somewhat stronger yellow tones, on the other hand, may indicate a disorder of the gall bladder or liver.
- Red tongue coating (raspberry tongue): a red tongue often occurs in infectious diseases such as scarlet fever. Typically, the tongue then also has small thickenings. If other symptoms occur, such as headache, abdominal pain or pain in the rib area, a disease of the gastrointestinal tract, the liver or the heart may also be the cause. If the tongue also burns, this indicates an inflammation of the tongue. In addition, it is also conceivable that the red tongue is caused by a vitamin B-12 deficiency.
- Brown tongue coating: a brown tongue coating is usually caused by disorders in the intestinal tract. If the tongue is also swollen, a kidney weakness may also be the cause. However, a brownish coating on the tongue can also be caused by certain foods or stimulants.
- Gray tongue coating: if the tongue is grayish discolored, this may indicate an iron deficiency or anemia.
- Black tongue coating: a black tongue coating is also called a “hairy tongue” because the tongue looks like it is hairy due to a change in the papillae of the tongue. Such a coating can occur as a side effect of antibiotic treatment. In addition, a hairy tongue can also indicate serious diseases associated with a significant weakening of the immune system.
Other complaints of the tongue
In addition to tongue coating, there may be other complaints of the tongue. For example, the tongue may be burning, inflamed or swollen, or pimples and blisters may form on the tongue. You can read about what this means and how to clean your tongue on the following page.
