tongue Archives - Nicollet Station Dental

rid-bad-breath Have you ever worried that you might have bad breath? Bad breath (also known as halitosis) is a condition that most of the time can be taken care of. It can result from poor dental health habits and can be made worse by the certain types of foods you eat and possibly other unhealthy lifestyle habits.

What Causes Bad Breath?

Poor oral health – If you skip brushing and flossing teeth daily, food particles can stay in your mouth, fostering bacterial growth between teeth, around the gums, and on the tongue. This bacteria can cause major bad breath.

Alcohol – Our bodies consider alcohol as a toxin. Alcohol is converted into an acetic acid, which causes bad breath in addition to tooth decay.

Tobacco products – The strong smell of the smoke left behind from cigarettes or cigars can linger in your mouth causing halitosis.

Coffee – Not only can coffee stain your teeth, it can leave a stench in your mouth that is hard to get rid of.

Lack of H2O – When your mouth gets dry harmful bacteria can begin to grow. This can result in bad breath but also in tooth decay.

Garlic and onions – Garlic and onions both contain the compound allyl methyl sulfide. This compound is known to cause bad breath so try to reduce the consumption of foods that have these ingredients.

Medications – Some medications can cause bad breath, especially drugs that dry out your mouth.
So how can you fix bad breath?
-Brush your teeth and floss daily
-Avoid using tobacco products and limit alcohol consumption
-Avoid drinking coffee when possible
-Drink plenty of water
-Limit the consumption of foods that contain garlic and onion
-Replace your toothbrush
-Visit your dentist regularly

Hopefully, this helps! If you have any questions or concerns around your breath, always feel free to reach out and ask for our help!

tongue Your tongue can reveal surprising secrets about your health. Without proper dental care, your tongue can develop some conditions that can eventually lead to health problems down the line. Check out these common tongue-related health conditions to see if your mouth might hold the secret to what’s bothering you.

Strawberry Tongue
A glossy, bright red tongue may be a sign your body is lacking iron or B12. This can be more common for vegetarians, as B12 is found in meat.

White-Colored Tongue
If your tongue seems to have a white coating of some kind, it could mean you have a yeast infection, commonly called oral thrush, inside your mouth. Your tongue may look similar to cottage cheese. Typical in young children, thrush also affects people with autoimmune diseases, people with diabetes that isn’t well controlled, chemotherapy patients, and the elderly.

Bald Tongue
Our tongues are covered in papillae. These are small bumps are essentially your tastebuds that cover your tongue. Occasionally these can die and shed off leaving the tongue slick and smooth. The cause of this condition is usually a vitamin deficiency or possibly anemia.

“Geographic” Tongue
A very normal, common condition, “geographic tongue” refers to a tongue that looks like bumpy terrain. Typically harmless, geographic tongue affects between 1 and 14 percent of the U.S. population. Geographic tongue typically requires no treatment or checkup and the cause of this condition is unknown, but it has been associated with diabetes, anemia, atopy, and stress. If it does not go away on it’s own or becomes painful talking to your doctor is necessary.

Dark Fuzz
If dark hair of fuzz develops on your tongue it is likely caused by the overgrowth of papillae. This can be triggered by poor oral hygiene such as drinking, smoking, or lack of daily care causing bacteria to grow at an alarming rate. Although not a major health risk, it could turn into one if it’s not addressed.

Wrinkles/Cracks
If you notice more wrinkles and cracks on your tongue as you get older, that’s normal. Yes, even our tongues show signs of aging. While cracks are typically harmless, you always need to be careful to keep your tongue and mouth clean.

Persistent Red Lesions
Red lesions or patches that don’t go away could be serious and possibly a sign of tongue cancer. Get it checked immediately.

If you are concerned or notice any of these symptoms please talk with us. We are here to help and point you in the right direction for treatment!

Tag Archives: tongue

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