Nov 17 2008
Tongue Health
I don’t know if any of you have ever watched one of those dodgy diet shows… wannabe doctor-cum-nutritionist types who stand there shouting at fatties about how if they don’t stop eating crap they’re going to die tomorrow, all the while probably fantasising about sinking their teeth into the big cream buns and greasy, lovely chips stacked high on the table (designed to make the fatty feel guilty… personally I think I’d start tucking in, you know?)
Anyway, they always seem to talk about the tongue. Apparently, the tongue is the gateway to the body and reflects the general health of a person, bla bla bla. I always considered it a load of bollocks, personally. It’s just a slimy pink thing in your gob, isn’t it?
Except, it clearly isn’t. When I got sick, I noticed almost straight away that my tongue went from its normal healthy looking pink colour to a weird off-pink, coated in a thick layer of white crap. I have no idea what it was, and you probably don’t care for the details. Nonetheless, it would have been obvious just from my tongue that something was not right in my guts.
I was brushing my teeth yesterday before bed, and when I stuck my tongue out to brush it (did you know that it’s estimated as much as 50% of the bacteria in the mouth is found on the surface of the tongue? source) I noticed that it was back to its lovely pink self again, with no white coating or grossness.
I did a little dance in the bathroom.
Warning
This post is over 6 months old. This means that, despite my best intentions, it may no longer be accurate. Age, motherhood, experience, loss... these things have all changed me from when this blog was started back in the heady (ha) days of my youth.
As much as I would like to go back and edit 10 years of archives to provide an insight into the 'me' of now — to update coding snippets and revise website advice — it would probably take years to do so (by which point I'd have to start again!) This would defeat the point of keeping these archives anyway.
Please take these posts for what they are: a brief look into my past, my history, my journey.
20 Responses so far
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I’ve noticed that as well. Even simple things like my allergies acting up causes my tongue to be discolored or have that icky white coating on it. It’s definitely an odd thing how much control over our senses something like our tongue has.
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Your tongue is very important. Don’t neglect it, or it will make you be very, very sorry. Tongues have that sort of control, you know.
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There are DIET shows? On TELEVISION? That sounds even worse than reality TV. Yecccch.
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It happens to me too … but I didn’t know about the bacteria part. So brushing them will keep them healthy?
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I love tongue scrapers. :)
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I have one of those toothbrushes with a thing on the back for tongue scrape-age. The ones they show people using very enthusiastically on telly. :)
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“wannabe doctor-cum-nutritionist”
Cum? Say what?
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Is this You Are What You Eat? Or something? When I was in London, I noticed a great deal of shows and commercials and adverts all had to do with health and how British people eat. You guys also seem to have a lot more pro-health stuff than we do here in the States.
Anyway, speaking of which, haven’t you seen cartoons or old shows or something where a kid complains they’re not feeling well and their grandma or whoever looks at their tongue? We also have an expression here called a coated tongue (usually made a pun of in cheeky cartoons) which indicates the health of someone. :)
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Aw! Yay for regular color tongues. I’m sure Karl appreciated it looking normal as well.
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“wannabe doctor-cum-nutritionist”
Cum? Say what?
I was going to add a rude joke in, but must have forgotten at the last minute.
Oh wells.
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Never knew that. O_o Guess I’ll have a look at my tongue next time I’m sick.
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… Ewwww :( I second what Erin said up there. I bet Karl is happy. XD
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When I was in Latin class, there were always boys sniggering about the use of the word “cum.” Sigh.
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A little dance… I can just imagine it. Jem spinning around and shaking her booty.
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Happy pink tongue day :o)
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Interesting. Your tongue is also the strongest-relative-to-size muscle in your body.
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Random fact: Using the toothbrush bristles to brush your tongue is better than using those special “back of the brush” toothbrushes. It’s more effective at removing bacteria. :)
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Eww, I have that white crap on my tongue when I wake up :|
I brush my teeth and use mouthwash, and it goes for the rest of the day; wake up the next morning and its back >.< -
I have seen those shows from time to time. They make me hungry.
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You are too funny. I’m glad to know that your tongue is back to its regular self.
