It's very possible to puncture a nerve during a tongue piercing. If this happens, you may experience a numb tongue -- nerve damage that is sometimes temporary, but can be permanent. The injured nerve may affect your sense of taste, or how you move your mouth.
Healthy Tongue
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Dr. Michael Roizen, MD , Internal Medicine, answeredSee All 2 AnswersBesides titillating a spouse or tipping you off that the haberneros are too hot, your tongue gives you lots of clues about your health.
Pound for pound, the tongue is our strongest muscle. Your tongue actually looks a lot like your intestines and provides a great insight into how your body is responding to the outside world and the food you are eating. Traditional Chinese medicine uses the tongue for most diagnoses, so take a look at yours. Fissures are naturally present in 5 percent of people so don't sweat them.
Poor dental hygiene leads to large papilla bumps that look like small hairs, thus the name hairy tongue. Drug reactions (including to herbs) will cause blisters and ulcers. Strawberry tongue happens in toxic shock syndrome. Hypothyroid people have very fat tongues, and people with pernicious anemia have beefy red tongues. -
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RealAge answeredSee All 2 AnswersYour tongue serves many purposes, from helping you chew and swallow to aiding in talking and singing. The tongue is made up of many groups of muscles that cause it to quickly move in multiple directions. The front of your tongue helps you lick a lollipop or an ice cream cone, or create certain sounds. The back of your tongue helps you swallow food and make other sounds. Your tongue is held in place by a thin layer of tissue, so it's not going to fall out when you cough; it won't go down your throat when you swallow. Also, your tongue is coated on top by more than 10,000 taste buds when you are young, which help distinguish between sweet, sour, salty, and other flavors. -
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American Dental Association answeredSee All 2 AnswersLightly brushing or scraping your tongue removes any excess plaque and odor causing bacteria. Tongue scrapers come in a variety of shapes and sizes, and work by starting at the back of the tongue and pulling the scraper forward. Although there's no strong evidence that tongue scrapers are any more effective than regular brushing of the teeth and tongue, it may help curb bad breath. -
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RealAge answeredSee All 2 AnswersYour tongue may assume the appearance of a roadmap when you have a condition known as "geographic tongue," which results from the over-activity of white blood cells. In a kind of immune system error, the cells produce smooth, red, irregularly shaped patches on the top or sides of your tongue. While this condition is generally harmless, in some cases these patches can cause pain or a burning sensation, especially when eating strongly flavored or spicy foods.
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American Dental Association answeredSee All 2 AnswersTo clean your tongue, you can do this either with your toothbrush while brushing your teeth or by using a tongue scraper. Start at the back of the tongue and lightly pull the brush or scraper forward. This removes any excess plaque and odor causing bacteria.
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American Dental Association answeredSee All 2 AnswersCleaning your tongue helps keep your mouth healthy. This removes any excess plaque. It can also help eliminate odor causing bacteria and prevent bad breath.
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RealAge answeredSee All 2 AnswersOral cancer can cause white or red patches on your tongue and mouth and trigger a sore that won't heal. If you have HIV infection, you may get a condition called "hairy" leukoplakia, a precancerous lesion. Fuzzy white patches will form on and around your tongue. Jaundice, liver, or gallbladder diseases may cause yellowing of your tongue. People with Down Syndrome may also get scrotal tongue, a condition in which the tongue develops grooves down the middle. Oral thrush is a common condition that causes white, pink or red patches on your tongue that can spread throughout your mouth. It's important to talk to your dentist, doctor or an ear, nose, and throat specialist about any changes on your tongue.
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RealAge answeredSee All 2 AnswersYou'll know your tongue is healthy by how it looks and feels. A healthy tongue should be a warm pink color, feel soft, and move around easily. You can help keep your tongue healthy by drinking plenty of fluids to keep your mouth moist and wash away food particles and dead cells. Also, consider cleaning your tongue with a brush to remove excess bacteria buildup. Eat a balanced diet with lots of fruits and vegetables to maintain good tongue health. Talk to your dentist or doctor about any changes in color or sores that appear on or around your tongue.
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Roshana Golstani, NASM Elite Trainer , Fitness, answeredSee All 2 AnswersIn ancient medicine it's always advised to scrape the tongue in a daily bases. It is interesting to see what comes off the tongue each day, as this is a direct reflection of your diet. Buildups on the tongue surface can be toxins and you definitely want to avoid re-ingesting them into your system. Use a tongue scraper made of stainless steel, or ask your dentist to provide you one with high quality. Scrape the tongue gently from back to front and rinse. Following this cleaning you can benefit from any cleansing juice or diet.