With a little preparation, you can make sure that you get much more from your next trip to the dentist. Your local dentist doesn't just check on the health of your teeth, they can also offer many other treatments. This website is designed to bring up the best info possible about the range of treatments a dental professional can offer you. We will be looking at dentures, tartar removal, tooth replacement and much more. While no one who contributes to this site is a trained dentist, everyone is extremely interested in researching and writing about this topic. Thank you for checking out this site.
When you think of your oral health, you likely associate it with the condition of your teeth and gums. And while the tongue is just as critical as these body parts, most people tend to take this organ for granted unless they develop something seriously wrong with it.
However, most underlying problems will not be conspicuous right from the start. Instead, you need to discern the signs of potential trouble and have them checked out by a professional as soon as possible so that any issue is caught in time. The following are a few examples of changes in your tongue that should prompt you to see a dentist right away.
White-coloured film on the tongue
Although white coatings on the tongue are pretty common, this does not mean they should not be cause for alarm. In usual cases, this whitish film comes about due to inadequate oral brushing. For instance, you may brush your teeth twice a day but if you do not clean your tongue too, you are not taking measures to eliminate food particles and other debris that collect on its surface. Over time, you will notice that a whitish film has formed on the surface. It is worth noting that in other cases, the coating comes about due to an oral thrush infection.
Oral thrush is a fungal infection, which comes about when there is an overgrowth of yeast in your oral cavity. Paying a visit to your dentist immediately will provide you with meds to get rid of the infection, and you will also learn about the risk factors that cause the overgrowth in the first place.
Hairy growths on the tongue
A hairy tongue sounds like something straight out of a horror movie, but this is an issue that you could develop if you are not providing this organ with the oral care that it needs. In some scenarios, there is an accumulation of protein on the tongue, which leads to the formation of tiny bumps across its surface. As the bumps grow, they lengthen and this elongation promotes the trapping of food particles.
Thus, when you open your mouth, the accumulated food debris coupled with the protracted bumps create an illusion of hair strands. Fortunately, if the problem is minor, you can eliminate the food strands and eventually the bumps by employing a good tongue scraper. But if the issue is only worsening over time, a dental appointment will be essential for restoring the condition of your tongue.
Other changes in your tongue that should prompt you to see a dentist include red patches or complete redness of the tongue, increased tenderness, suspicious white patches and so on.
Share2 November 2020
