Tongue The forgotten contender of oral health

Our definition of oral health always revolves around teeth and gums and we tend to forget that our tongue also plays an important role in maintaining good oral care. It is not only a sensory muscle that gives a sense of taste and pushes the food down our throat but also a visual indicator of our overall health. The major function of the tongue is enabling of speech in humans.

A pink tongue indicates that everything about our health seems normal. This is the reason why the first thing a physician check is our tongue. Bumps, patches and spots are harmless, however, sometimes they can give a clue to what is going on with our overall health. Infection, stress, medications leave marks on our tongue. So what does our tongue tell doctors about our health?

Sometimes you can find a thin white coating on your tongue which is not alarming. This film is a mix of bacteria, dead cells and food particles and it should go away with proper cleaning. Any given time you have at least 20 billion bacteria residing in your mouth more than the population of the entire Earth. These group of bacteria contains both good and bad ones. Our immunity and oral care maintain the balance between them.

The production of acidic compounds by these bacteria based on the leftover food particles result in certain oral problems like Halitosis or Bad Breath. These bacteria can reside anywhere both on your gums and tongue so brushing twice a day and scraping your tongue can help get rid of this bad odour. Flossing with a water flosser can help wash away the leftover food particles which can contribute to bad breath.

It is very essential to keep your tongue clean all the times in order to prevent any unnecessary embarrassment. Though small in size, the human tongue is big on importance. It plays crucial roles in helping us taste, eat, digest and speak. And that's nothing to stick your tongue out at.