What should your tongue look like or color of your tongue
Tongue should have a rounded, symmetrical shape. It’s generally light pink, though it may have a little purple or brown pigmentation in African, Asian, and Mediterranean populations. It can also have a hint of white coating. It is most important organ in our body. What color of your tongue?
“The coating comes from a tough protein called keratin, which helps keep your tongue from being scratched when you eat,” says Dr. Tien Jiang, a prosthodontist in the Department of Oral Health Policy and Epidemiology at the Harvard School of Dental Medicine.
Up close, you might be able to see that covered in tiny bumps (papillae) that serve several purposes:
- They sense temperature and touch.
- They contain taste buds that enable you to detect if food is sweet, salty, sour, bitter, or savory.
- They create friction to help you form a little ball of food (bolus) that you can swallow.
Can diet affect color?
Yes. Sometimes diet may be partly to blame for a shift away from your usual tongue tone. That’s because the papillae can absorb the colors and residues of foods and drinks you consume. For example, that blue popsicle or candy you ate as a kid probably turned your exciting shade of azure. Coffee, tea, and many types of food, such as curried dishes with lots of yellow turmeric, can also leave their marks.
Discoloration is usually just temporary, however. Drinking plenty of water and maintaining good oral hygiene will wash away food and dyes that cling to the tongue.
Should you brush your tongue or use a scraper?
Good oral hygiene requires that you floss your teeth at least once a day and brush them at least twice a day. Take a few seconds to use the brush on your tongue.
“Stick out your tongue and swipe your toothbrush from the back of your tongue to the front: one swipe down the middle, one swipe down the left side, and one swipe down the right side. That helps remove bacteria and debris that collect in papillae,” Dr. Jiang says.
Some people swear by using a color of your tongue scraper to clean the tongue. Dr. Jiang isn’t a fan, but doesn’t have a problem with someone using the tool, which is pulled forward on the tongue in a similar fashion to brushing the tongue. “The data about scraper effectiveness are mixed,” she says. “It just comes down to what you’re willing to do daily to keep your teeth, mouth, and gums as healthy as possible.”
Worried about your color of tongue? What to do
If you’re worried about anything wrong with your organ , what color of your tongue?— especially if you also have a fever, color of tongue a very sore throat, sores that won’t go away, or other new symptoms — call your primary care doctor or dentist.
Your doctor or dentist can
- assess your condition
- prescribe or suggest treatments to relieve discomfort, such as medicated mouthwashes or warm-water rinses
- urge you to stay hydrated and step up your oral hygiene.
If necessary, your doctor can refer you to a specialist for further evaluation.