Search results
Results from the WOW.Com Content Network
The shape and color of the tongue is examined and observed diagnostically in traditional Chinese medicine. For example, scalloping of the tongue is said to indicate qi vacuity. [ 13 ] Some modern medical sources still describe the tongue as "the mirror of physical health". [ 14 ]
The sides of the tongue are inspected with a gloved hand holding a piece of gauze. The tongue is moved side to side and inspected; it should be pink, moist, smooth and glistening. Assessment of the ventral (bottom) surface of the tongue is done by having the patient touch the tip of their tongue against the roof of their mouth.
Iron-deficiency anemia is mainly caused by blood loss, such as may occur during menses or gastrointestinal hemorrhage.This often results in a depapilled, atrophic glossitis, giving the tongue a bald and shiny appearance, along with pallor (paleness) of the lips and other mucous membranes a tendency towards recurrent oral ulceration, [6] and cheilosis (swelling of the lips). [7]
From white spots to red bumps, a number of diseases can show up on your tongue. Here’s what to know about tongue pain and tongue disease.
Black hairy tongue is a harmless condition which causes blackening pigmentation on the dorsum of the tongue. It is a very common oral condition and affects 13% of the world population. It is often due to poor oral hygiene which leads to accumulation of oral bacteria and build up of keratin on the tongue surface.
In health, the dorsal surface of the tongue is covered in tuft-like projections called lingual papillae (some of which are associated with taste buds), which give the tongue an irregular surface texture and a white-pink color. Geographic tongue is characterized by areas of atrophy and depapillation (loss of papillae), leaving an erythematous ...
Black hairy tongue syndrome (BHT [4]) is a condition of the tongue in which the small bumps on the tongue elongate with black or brown discoloration, giving a black and hairy appearance. The appearance may be alarming, but it is a harmless condition.
Get AOL Mail for FREE! Manage your email like never before with travel, photo & document views. Personalize your inbox with themes & tabs. You've Got Mail!