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Artisan Dentistry's Blog

The Problem with Your Tongue Could Be Something Serious

Aug 19th, 2015

taketongueseriously

When it comes to oral health, our teeth and gums shouldn’t be our only concern. The tongue shouldn’t be ignored because it is an important part of oral health. Check your tongue regularly and make sure to pay attention to any bumps, lumps, or rashes that you might get on your tongue, because it could mean something more serious than a canker sore.

While many tongue problems are treatable, others can signal more serious conditions.

Color changes in your tongue can mean serious problems. A white tongue can be a sign of leukoplakia, oral thrush, and oral lichen planus. These conditions often come from tobacco use and can be resolved either with medication or on it’s own. Your dentist can usually confirm whether or not medication is needed and what the best treatment plan would be.

A red or strawberry tongue could be a sign of a vitamin deficiency, a geographic tongue, Kawasaki syndrome or scarlet fever. If you have a strawberry tongue and a high fever, head to a doctor immediately to start antibiotic treatment.

A black tongue, surprisingly enough usually means nothing serious, but can be pretty gross to look at. Usually this happens when the papillae that is naturally on your tongue become excessively long rather than being worn down by daily activities. When they grow they look dark and black and hair-like.

If you notice any abnormalities on your tongue, whether it is a strange color, bump, or rash, visit a dentist or doctor to figure out what is going on.

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Anyone can train to be a technician, but few have the talent to become an artist. That’s why Dr. Mathew is able to guarantee his cosmetic dentistry work for a full 5 years. If anything goes wrong with the work, Dr. Mathew will fix it free of charge, as long as you continue with your regular 6 month preventative care cleaning and check up for the duration of the warranty.

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Here at Paul Mathew, D.D.S. we work diligently to protect our patients' privacy. Requesting an appointment via our Internet portal is considered part of what the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) has identified as electronically protected healthcare information or ePHI. Unfortunately, despite our best efforts, there are people or entities that may attempt to intercept the data you transmit to us. By checking the "I agree" box, and electronically making an appointment request, you acknowledge that you are making an appointment over the internet and that Paul Mathew, D.D.S. will keep this information confidential but cannot guarantee that others, outside of our practice, may illegally intercept this communication. By accepting these terms and conditions and sending this request via our Internet portal, you accept the inherent risk(s) associated with making this request for an appointment. If you do not accept the terms and conditions, you are always welcome to contact our office via telephone to schedule your appointment.

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Here at Paul Mathew, D.D.S. we work diligently to protect our patients' privacy. Requesting an appointment via our Internet portal is considered part of what the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) has identified as electronically protected healthcare information or ePHI. Unfortunately, despite our best efforts, there are people or entities that may attempt to intercept the data you transmit to us. By checking the "I agree" box, and electronically making an appointment request, you acknowledge that you are making an appointment over the internet and that Paul Mathew, D.D.S. will keep this information confidential but cannot guarantee that others, outside of our practice, may illegally intercept this communication. By accepting these terms and conditions and sending this request via our Internet portal, you accept the inherent risk(s) associated with making this request for an appointment. If you do not accept the terms and conditions, you are always welcome to contact our office via telephone to schedule your appointment.

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The information presented here is not intended or implied to be medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. It should be used for informational purposes only.