Poke it out and have a look, it may be hinting at wider health issues
From stress levels and vitamin deficiencies to your risk of contracting oral cancer, your tongue can reveal all sorts of surprising things about your health. But could you spot if symptoms are down to something serious, or just to eating a hot meal too fast? Stand in front of a mirror, stick out your tongue, and check for the following signs.
Ulcers
IT COULD MEAN: You’re stressed.
Ulcers on the tongue or inner cheeks tend to be uncomfortable for four to five days, then subside and disappear within two weeks. They typically occur when people are rundown or stressed. ‘It could be a problem with the immune system or due to bacteria or viruses,’ says dental hygienist Anna Middleton, founder of London Hygienist. ‘Stress and tissue injury are the most common triggers, but deficiencies in iron and B vitamins may also be behind them.’
TREAT IT: ‘Avoid spicy, salty, acidic and rough foods,’ says Anna. ‘You can rinse with hot salt water and there are ulcer gels available at the pharmacy. A sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS) free toothpaste may also help.’ If ulcers last longer than three weeks and keep coming back, see your GP.
SORENESS WITH RED PATCHES
IT COULD MEAN: You’ve got geographic tongue.
This is the second most common cause of tongue pain, says Dr Jeff Foster from h3health.co.uk. ‘It’s inflammatory, but noncancerous, and leaves patches on the surface of the tongue – smooth, red islands of sorts, often with slightly raised borders. They can then go white and these flattened inflammatory areas can become sore and painful.’ It can look like drawings of countries on a map, hence the name. Geographic tongue often appears out of the blue and, although experts don’t know the cause, allergies, dermatitis, stress, diabetes and the skin disease psoriasis can all be triggers.
TREAT IT: In most cases, there’s no need for treatment. The patches are harmless and usually disappear by themselves, although your GP might suggest a mouthwash if they’re uncomfortable. Occasionally, it may cause burning or smarting. In this case, topical anaesthetics can be used for surface numbing, while your GP can prescribe pain relief.
Painful cracks
