Know Tongue Disease And How To Handle It

Roseous.com - Know Tongue Disease And How To Handle It. Tongue disease can be caused by various things, ranging from lack of nutrients, weak immune system, to lifestyle, such as smoking and drinking alcohol. Most tongue disease does not require special treatment and can heal by itself. However you should be vigilant if symptoms do not improve or complaints cause disruption to daily activities.

The existence of the tongue is very important because this one organ makes people able to talk, taste, to chew and swallow. Because of its important function, of course we will feel disturbed if experiencing tongue disease.

A healthy tongue is generally wet, pink or pink, covered by a whitish thin membrane on the surface. Changes in the color of the tongue from pink to other colors can be a sign of the body is sick. This is the reason why doctors often ask patients to stick their tongues during the examination.

Causes of Tongue Disease

The causes of tongue diseases vary, ranging from congenital to lifestyle and or certain habits, such as smoking or eating coffee. The cause can be distinguished from the symptoms that appear.

• The tongue changes color

The change of tongue color to bright pink is often due to deficiency of folic acid, vitamin B12, iron, or gluten allergy. While the tongue becomes a white color is usually caused by the habit of drinking alcohol, smoking, fungal infections, and remnants of food that is not cleaned.

Red tongue is associated with vitamin deficiency, Kawasaki disease, or scarlet fever caused by a bacterial infection. If your tongue turns black, this could be because of smoking, laziness to clean the mouth, taking antibiotics, or undergoing chemotherapy.

• Tongue changed texture

The texture of the tongue becomes hairy or looks black hairy, most likely caused by antibiotics or smoking habits. Too often consume coffee or use mouthwash, and exposure to radiation in the head or neck can also affect changes in tongue texture.

• Tongue pain

Thrush most commonly causes tongue pain. The cause can be due to food allergies, deficiency of vitamins and iron, the use of toothpastes and mouthwashes made from hard, or accidentally biting the tongue while eating or talking.

Pain can also be caused by papilla inflammation aka tasty buds. People who have a habit of eating spicy and wearing dentures or braces are more at risk of experiencing this.

• Tongue swelling

Tongue swelling can be a symptom of a medical condition, such as Down syndrome, tongue cancer, leukemia, sore throat, anemia, and overactive thyroid gland. If the tongue swelling occurs suddenly, the cause may be allergies. Do not underestimate this because swollen tongue can cause difficulties Immediately visit a doctor to get medical treatment if the tongue swelling causes you hard to breathe.

Kinds of Tongue Diseases and How to Overcome them

• Sprue

Thrush is a small wound that usually appears on the tongue or mouth. The cause of canker sores so far is not known for certain, but one common tongue disease is often the case when lack of vitamins or immune system is weak. Eating acid fruits, using braces, and the use of dentures.

Solution: Generally, canker sores do not require special handling. The pain will disappear by itself within a week or two. Clean your teeth and tongue regularly especially after eating, and avoid spicy or sour food until the canker sores are healed.

• Oral thrush (oral thrush)

Oral thrush or also known as oral candidiasis is a disease of the tongue caused by fungal infection of Candida albicans. The disease is characterized by the tongue or the inside of the mouth covered with a white coating textured to resemble cheese. If this layer is scratched, it can cause pain even bleeding. Oral thrush more commonly affects infants, elderly users of dentures, or people with weak immunity.

How to overcome: You can do a natural method to overcome the disease of this tongue, namely by rinsing using warm salt water or a solution mixed with half a teaspoon of baking soda. Do it regularly, twice a day. If you decide to go to a doctor or dentist, doctors usually prescribe antifungal drugs.

• Lichen planus mouth

Lichen planus of the mouth is thought to be caused by a problem with the immune system. Tongue disease is characterized by the appearance of white patches and white lines such as lace on tongue and mouth. This condition is usually accompanied by red and painful gums, burning or sore sensation, and discomfort in the mouth.

Solution: Mild symptoms generally do not require special handling. However, gargling with an antiseptic solution may relieve discomfort in the mouth. For more severe conditions, treatment with corticosteroids is necessary to reduce inflammation.

• Geographic tongue (geographic tongue)

Named geographical tongue because of the symptoms that arise in the form of reddish spots shaped like a map or island with white edges. The exact cause is unknown, but is suspected to be associated with psoriasis and lichen planus. This assumption still requires further research. Sometimes, geographic tongue sufferers become very sensitive to salty, sour, or too sweet foods.

How to overcome: Geographic tongue is actually not dangerous, so the disease of this tongue can heal by itself. However, you are advised to check if more than two weeks of spotting is not lost. Reduce consumption of spicy foods, acids, cigarettes, and alcoholic beverages to prevent the geographic tongue from evolving seriously.

• The tongue is cracked (fissured tongue)

Cracked tongue or fissured tongue is marked by the number of cracks in the tongue so that the tongue looks cracked. The gap depth in the fissured tongue varies, but the deepest can reach six millimeters. This condition is actually not dangerous so that the patient does not feel pain. The cause is not known for sure, although allegations are genetically inherited.

Solution: In many conditions, fissured tongue does not require any treatment. To prevent fissured tongue from causing an infection, you are advised to regularly cleanse the tongue, because the leftovers can be the mastermind of infection.

• Glossitis

Glossitis is an inflammation of the tongue, where the tongue becomes swollen and discolored. Glossitis causes small lumps on the surface of the tongue (papilla) to disappear. This condition can affect how to eat and talk.

How to cope: Maintaining oral hygiene on a regular basis can reduce symptoms. When brushing your teeth, clean the sidelines of teeth using dental floss to clean the leftovers. Your doctor may prescribe antibiotics to treat an infection or corticostreoid to reduce the swelling.

• Burning mouth syndrome

he tongue is burning or sting most often suffered by women entering menopause. Allergies, immune disorders, the use of toothpaste or mouthwash, and stress, can be a triggering factor.

How to overcome: There is no specific treatment to treat burning mouth syndrome. But you can avoid acidic foods and drinks, spicy foods, alcoholic beverages, and cigarettes to relieve heartburn.

Leukoplakia Leukoplakia is a condition in which there is white patches on the tongue. In leukoplakia, white patches do not disappear even after they have been cleaned with a toothbrush. The cause of leukoplakia is related to smoking and drinking alcohol. Although generally harmless and painless, leukoplakia may be an early sign of oral cancer. Another version of leukoplakia is hairy leukoplakia. The disease is caused by Epstein-Barr virus and more often attacks people with low immune systems as in patients HIV.

Solution: Check with your doctor or dentist if the size of white patches is enlarged. Treatment will be focused on removing the spots. Laser or surgical methods may be performed if leukoplakia is malignant (cancerous). Immediately stop the habit of smoking and drinking alcohol to reduce the risk of spotting enlargement.

• Tongue cancer

Tongue cancer is caused by the growth of uncontrolled cells. HPV infection, alcohol and cigarettes can be a cause of tongue cancer.

How to cope: If mouth ulcers have lasted more than two weeks but not healed, immediately consult a doctor. The doctor will perform an examination to check whether the sprue is dangerous or not. If the cancer is positive and the size is large enough, treatment begins by excluding cancer by surgery. Methods of chemotherapy, radiotherapy, or radiation therapy will be used depending on the type, location, and severity of the cancer.

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Most tongue disease is not so serious that it can be handled independently. But in some cases, should get a medical handler immediately because it leads to cancer.

Getting used to brush your teeth after meals and before going to bed twice a day, eating nutritious foods, and drinking lots of water, can prevent tongue disease. It is recommended to check dental and mouth health to the dentist every six months.