Examining Your Tongue Your dentist will examine the size and texture of your tongue in order to ensure that your mouth is healthy. The size and surface of your tongue can tell you a lot about your dental and overall health.
2. Examining Your Tongue: Upon a closer examination of the tongue, your dentist will check the size and texture of the tongue to ensure a healthy mouth. Your tongue's size and surface can determine a lot about your dental health, as well as your overall health.
For tongue lesions such as changes in color, growths, or texture changes, an oral surgeon or an otolaryngologist (ear, nose, and throat specialist, also known as an ENT specialist) can evaluate the area, perform a biopsy, and follow up or refer for appropriate treatment such as surgery or medication.
Preventative dentistry is a practice designed to help all patients maintain optimal oral health, and a tongue exam aims to identify any issues such as infections, nutritional deficiencies and abnormal growths which may be present.
If you ask your dentist, he or she will tell you that good oral hygiene includes more than just brushing and flossing your teeth – it includes cleaning your tongue as well.
The Right Way – Your dentist in Sandwich will recommend that you gently rest your tongue on the roof of your mouth and about a half an inch away from the back of your front teeth. At the same time, your lips should be closed, and your teeth held slightly apart to avoid placing unnecessary pressure on your teeth.
Bacterial overgrowth on the tongue most commonly causes it. Your tongue may look dark yellow, brown, or black. Also, the papillae may multiply, giving off the “hairy” appearance.
Proper Tongue Positioning
When your mouth is at rest, your tongue should be against the roof of your mouth, but it should not be pressing against any of your teeth. Your teeth should be slightly apart, and your lips should be closed.
According to the American Dental Association, there is no evidence that brushing or scraping your tongue will prevent bad breath or improve halitosis (chronic bad breath). In fact, the ADA says that bad breath bacteria can grow back just as as fast as you remove it.
When the tongue pushes against the back of the teeth, the pressure can make your front teeth move outward. This creates a gap, or open bite, between your middle top and bottom teeth. Untreated tongue thrust can lead to long-term damage to speech, like a lisp over certain sounds.
Though most sore tongues aren't anything to worry about, you should consult a doctor if you have a lump or sore on your tongue that doesn't go away within a week or two. Many oral cancers don't hurt in the early stages, so don't assume a lack of pain means nothing is wrong.
In summary, top 5 things a dentist checks for:
Gum disease – leading cause of tooth loss in the UK. Oral cancer – 15 new cases in every 100,000 males. Teeth grinding. Teeth crowding.
Debris, bacteria, and dead cells can build up on your tongue over time. This can lead to bad breath and have a negative impact on your overall oral health. Using a tongue scraper can help remove this buildup, as well as: Improve your sense of taste.
White tongue is the result of an overgrowth and swelling of the fingerlike projections (papillae) on the surface of your tongue. The appearance of a white coating is caused by debris, bacteria and dead cells getting lodged between the enlarged and sometimes inflamed papillae.
The tongue is a breeding ground for different bacteria and plaque. Throughout the day, food debris and other bacteria will start building up on the tongue as well as on your teeth. Many people brush their teeth two times a day to clean off this debris from their teeth but forget or overlook cleaning the tongue.
“Your tongue should be touching the roof of your mouth when resting,” explains Dr. Ron Baise, dentist of 92 Dental in London. “It should not be touching the bottom of your mouth. The front tip of your tongue should be about half an inch higher than your front teeth.”
Actually, your tongue should be resting entirely on the palate. Not just the tip of the tongue, but the middle and posterior sections should be resting up. Your lips should be together, and your breathing should be through the nose 95-100% of the time.
A healthy tongue should be pink, pain-free, and covered in tiny projections called papillae. Changes in its color, texture, or sensations could indicate issues with your oral health along with other conditions within your body.
The symptoms of tongue cancer might include: a red or white patch on the tongue that won't go away. a sore throat that doesn't go away. a sore spot (ulcer) or lump on the tongue that doesn't go away.
Signs of Extreme Tongue Bacteria
If your tongue develops white patches, it's usually a sign that something is wrong with your oral hygiene. White patches are a collection of bacteria and dead cells that get stuck on enlarged papillae.
Poor Oral Hygiene
Most of the time, a white tongue is a result of poor oral hygiene. The tongue has small bumps, called papillae, which can become swollen, inflamed, and discolored if there is an overgrowth of bacteria, yeast, or even with dehydration.
To diagnose this condition, a pediatric dentist will examine the tongue's appearance and moveability. In less severe cases, the lingual frenulum may loosen over time, resolving tongue-tie without intervention. For more serious cases, surgical treatment is required to resolve the associated issues.
According to a study conducted way back in 2008, gripping the left thumb in a tight fist soothes bad gag reflex quickly. One simple way of combating the issue is by breathing through the nose. If your nasal passages are congested, consider taking medications beforehand.