The tongue, which plays a major role in speech, taste, and chewing, actually gives very important clues about human health. Therefore, doctors first check the tongue during an examination; the color and shape of the tongue is an important sign of diseases in the body.

What Does Tongue Color Indicate?

If the tongue is very dry, the person may have diabetes or their blood sugar may be high; a dry tongue is also a sign of diarrhea. If the tongue is excessively wet, it means the sugar level in the body has dropped. In typhoid and other digestive tract diseases, the tongue becomes a dirty yellow color, while in scarlet fever it appears very red.

Sores or blisters on the tongue can be a sign of a fungal infection; they may be caused by viruses like canker sores or herpes, or by tissue disorders. Inflammation seen on the tongue can be a sign of iron or vitamin deficiency. Not consuming enough hard and fibrous foods like vegetables and fruits leads to a deterioration of the tongue's pink color.

Why Does Tongue Coating Form?

Causes of tongue coating include stomach diseases, throat infections, intestinal fungi, some febrile illnesses, and food residues left in the mouth. Short-term tongue coating is a substance that accumulates on the papillae and back of the tongue during sleep; there is nothing to worry about here. For long-term tongue coatings, it is necessary to consult a doctor.

Tongue Coating Treatment with Herbal Methods

Smoking is one of the main causes of tongue coating. Zinc is important for wounds and general body health. Since the cause of a coated tongue is inflammatory diseases and fungi; lavender, olive leaf, horsetail, bay leaf, and clove are beneficial in treating inflammatory diseases. For liver diseases, it is necessary to consume milk thistle and artichoke.

Carob and carrot are beneficial for putrefaction in the intestines; due to pesticide residues, organic ones should be preferred. For fungi, a one-month course of garlic elixir can be applied.

  • Gargling with lemon water before going to bed at night
  • Gargling with diluted Swedish bitters
  • Gargling with brewed sage tea
  • Gargling with sunflower oil