You are probably fairly used to sticking your tongue out when you go to the doctor with a sore throat, or even just for an annual checkup. You may have even stuck your tongue out at someone a time or two in your youth in a sassy manner. Your tongue has multiple roles, including the very important ability to taste and speak freely. Dr. Brent Engelberg will always take interest in your tongue during your preventive dental checkups because the muscle is a gauge of dental health. Scrubbing and scraping your tongue is one possible way to prevent chronic bad breath. However, even if you don’t struggle with halitosis, you should still pay attention to the look and feel of your tongue.
Oral Lesions
Taste buds can become temporarily swollen for a variety of reasons. Often times, your tongue reacts with inflammation as a result of accidentally biting it. Canker sores can create tiny lesions or ulcers on your tongue that appear like swollen taste buds. If your mouth sores don’t heal within a couple of weeks, or if they heal but then recur, contact Dr. Engelberg to get your tongue checked out. In rare cases, tongue sores are a sign of early oral malignancies. Oral/pharyngeal cancer is highly treatable when diagnosed at an early enough stage.
On the Lookout for Cancer
If you stick your tongue out while looking in the mirror and you notice a white coating on your tongue, this could be a symptom of health issues such as inflammatory disease or an autoimmune disorder. Certain infections (such as thrush – a type of bacterial yeast infection) create the side effect of a film on your tongue. Yogurt consumption is a possible remedy, though you may need a course of antibiotics. If you are a tobacco consumer, pay extra attention to any white coating on your tongue. The film could signify a pre-cancerous condition called luekoplakia.
ABOUT YOUR VERNON HILLS DENTIST:
Dr. Brent Engelberg and his highly-skilled team proudly serve patients and their families from Arlington Heights, IL, and all surrounding communities, including; Northbrook, Deerfield, Highland Park, Wilmette, Winnetka, Glencoe, Vernon Hills, Lincolnshire, Libertyville, Skokie, Evanston, Palatine, Schaumburg, Elk Grove Village, Rolling Meadows, and the Northern and Northwest Chicago Suburbs. To learn more, schedule a consultation online, or call our office today at 847-259-8030.
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