How on earth can the tongue be brown? – 2024-05-02 11:29:35

The color of the tongue can reveal a lot about lifestyle and health. Adobe Stock / AOP

We collected language-related color facts from a site maintained by Harvard University. If you only want the answer to the question in the title, go directly to section 5.

1. Healthy language is pink, but may have slight purple or brown undertones.

2. White. If there is a little white coating on the tongue, it is completely normal. The cover is actually a protein called keratin. Its purpose is to prevent the tongue from being scratched while eating.

3. Blue. Have eaten blue candies or ice cream. Maybe had a blue drink? Dye from eaten food is absorbed into the bumps on the tongue. When a little is swallowed, the saliva washes away the dye.

4. Yellow. If you drink a lot of coffee or eat curry-flavored foods, your tongue can also be very yellow for a while. The explanation is the same as above.

5. Brown, black. The tongue can turn brown, almost black – and then it’s a matter of health. The reason is simple: tongue bumps usually don’t grow very long because there’s so much going on in the mouth. If the bumps grow, harmful bacteria and food dyes accumulate in them. Certain medications, smoking, and poor hygiene increase the risk.

6. White spots on the tongue. Thicker white spots or blisters on the tongue indicate a yeast infection. This is more common if a person has diabetes or HIV. Yeast can also be a result of antibiotic courses, cancer treatments, smoking, dry mouth or inhaled steroids. Sometimes, in rare cases, white spots themselves can be a sign of oral cancer.

7. Reddish or yellowish blisters. Canker sores are irritated tissue. They pass in time, but they are tender and painful.

8. Bright red “Strawberry tongue” can indicate vitamin b12 deficiency or chicken pox. (In a child, it can be an oral symptom of Kawasaki disease).