Zone of the language responsible for recognition. Diseases of the tongue - symptoms, causes, treatment. Imprints of teeth on the tongue on the sides

Even our distant ancestors knew methods of diagnosing diseases by the state of the back of the tongue. Depending on the nature of the plaque, its color, smell, sensations in the patient himself, one can assume many pathological processes that occur not only in the oral cavity, but throughout the body.

The back of the tongue is divided into the anterior 2/3 (oral part) and the posterior third (pharyngeal part), covered with a multilayer flat uneven keratinizing epithelium, which is quickly updated. The tongue is a muscular organ with abundant innervation and a large number of blood vessels. On its back and lateral surfaces there are 4 types of papillae: filiform, grooved, mushroom-shaped and leaf-shaped. The taste perception - sweet, bitter, sour and salty - is provided by taste bulbs and receptors, but the mechanism of obtaining taste sensations has not yet been fully studied.

The tongue is affected in almost all diseases of the oral cavity caused by various microflora (staphylococcus, streptococcus, fungi, simple spirochetes). The nature and extent of changes in the language is determined not only by the form of the disease, but also by the general condition of the human body.

Causes of tongue diseases

Often the cause of tongue diseases is an infection.

As a rule, with the development of a tongue disease, an infectious factor is always present - viruses, bacteria, fungi. If the tongue manifests heart disease, gastrointestinal tract, metabolism or allergies, in such cases it is only a symptom of the underlying disease and is treated with it. Independent lesions of the tongue are not so common. Damage to the tongue can also be caused by acute or chronic trauma (biting, burns or rubbing on the edge of the prosthesis, crown, bracket).

Acute inflammatory diseases of the tongue

Glossitis is the medical term for inflammation of the tongue. The following common acute lesions of the tongue can be distinguished:

Catarrhal glossitis is a disease in which the tongue becomes bright red, smooth, shiny. A dense coating appears on its back. A person feels pain and burning tongue, loss of taste sensations. The causes of this lesion are: influenza, acute respiratory infections, the effects of alcohol and smoking, diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, and dental deposits.
Ulcerative glossitis is one of the concomitant symptoms of ulcerative necrotic stomatitis. Erosions and ulcers in the tongue develop with a sharp decrease in immunity in humans. There is also bad breath, a dirty gray coating on the tongue.
Abscess of the tongue - develops with trauma to the tongue, is difficult. The tongue swells, becomes painful, a separate section of it turns red. With deep localization of the focus of inflammation, swallowing and breathing may be difficult, which is caused by increasing deep swelling of the soft tissues.
Desquamative glossitis - is considered a symptom of systemic disorders in the body: damage to the circulatory and digestive systems, metabolic disorders, kidney disease, dysbiosis, etc. It appears as bright red “polished” spots that look like raw meat, or areas of thickening of the papillae of the tongue. Subjectively, burning and itching, a slight soreness are felt.

Chronic lesions of the tongue

“Geographical” glossitis - the disease begins with the appearance of a small grayish spot on the back of the tongue, which gradually grows and changes its shape, resembling a map. The disease can last for a long time, the spots merge with each other, in the center of the foci there is a complete restoration of the epithelium, and a gray rim at the edges. The disease is more common in children 1–7 years old, in women 30–40 years old, while there is practically no pain. Only with external examination can a person accidentally notice the specific color of the back of the tongue. The causes of the appearance of such a disease have not been identified.
A “black hairy” tongue is a common lesion without signs of inflammation of the tongue. The true form is distinguished, in which the growth and thickening of the filiform papillae, their coloring in a dark color, and the false form are observed. The latter is characterized by a change in the color of the back of the tongue, the appearance of plaque, which is easily removed. A person complains of a foreign body sensation in the mouth, roughness of the tongue, its darkening. The causes of this pathology have not been identified to the end. They suggest the negative effects of alcohol and tobacco, drugs, microbes on metabolic processes with the epithelium of the tongue.
"Diamond" glossitis is a lesion of the tongue, which is considered as a developmental defect. The disease manifests itself in the form of a rhomboid-shaped focus protruding above the surface of the back of the tongue, the size of which does not exceed 1 cm in length. The surface of this area is smooth, red, clearly delimited from surrounding tissues. The location of the rhombus is always in the midline.
Leukoplakia is a disease in which the mucous membranes of the oral cavity are pathologically thickened. Mostly men older than 50 are affected. The true form, false and leukoplakia are distinguished as a symptom of a systemic disease. The main causes of development: heredity, smoking, trauma, chronic inflammatory diseases of the oral cavity. The disease begins with the appearance of a focus of redness, on which the epithelium thickens, rising above the surrounding tissues. A special type of disease is the “hairy” leukoplakia of the tongue, described in people infected with HIV. This type of tongue lesion is one of the earliest symptoms of AIDS. At the same time, areas of thickening of the mucous membrane of the back of the tongue are observed, which have an irregular shape without clear boundaries, and the overgrown filiform papillae resemble externally the hairs.

Infectious diseases of the tongue

Lesions of the tongue can be caused by fungal, viral, bacterial infections. The nature of the changes in the language depends not only on the underlying disease, but also on its stage, severity, state of immunity of the whole organism.

Candidiasis is a disease caused by yeast-like fungi that are widespread in the environment and normally present on the skin and mucous membranes. In the development of candidiasis, an important role is played by a decrease in immunity, a weakening of the body's defenses, the use of antibiotics, and a chronic trauma to the tongue. With a pseudomembranous form, a white "curd" plaque is observed, which is easily removed from the back of the tongue, exposing a bright red painful surface. With atrophic candidiasis in the oral cavity, pathological dryness, redness of the mucous membrane and severe soreness can be observed. There is very little raid.
Herpetic glossitis is a viral disease that provokes the occurrence of which stress, hypothermia, menstrual period, acute respiratory infections. On the tongue, single or multiple vesicles are observed, at the opening of which severely painful erosions are formed, prone to fusion. The general condition of the body suffers: body temperature rises, headache, pain in joints and muscles appear.
Streptococcal impetigo of the tongue - a lesion caused by streptococcus, is characterized by a rash of superficial vesicles (conflict) against a bright red background up to 1 cm with transparent contents. The foci quickly open, exposing rounded painful erosion.

Treatment of tongue diseases

Thorough cleansing of the tongue will speed recovery.

All diseases of the tongue have many similar manifestations - its swelling and redness, the appearance of plaque and erosion, a change in color and shape. As a rule, common somatic diseases of internal organs and systems are manifested in the tongue, therefore, treatment must be carried out comprehensively. Locally, with damage to the tongue, painkillers, antiseptic solutions, and wound healing agents are used. If the lesion is caused by a virus, not only local treatment is necessary, but also general. Only a specialist can distinguish a fungal disease from a bacterial or viral one. When self-medicating, patients often simply aggravate the course of the disease. With candidiasis, the first remedy should be antifungal ointments, soda rinses and a thorough cleansing of the tongue from plaque. The use of antibacterial ointments in this case can only delay and complicate further treatment. In case of chronic injury, the causative factor should be eliminated: correction of the filling, smoothing of the sharp edges of the prosthesis, grinding of the orthodontic plate. In any case, with the appearance of pain, burning or itching, plaque on the back of the tongue it is better to consult a specialist.

In Chinese medicine, the language is considered a "map" of the state of internal organs.
Diagnosis of the tongue should be carried out in the morning, on an empty stomach, in natural daylight and after preliminary rinsing of the oral cavity.
The language is able to give the right clue to whom to go for help.

First of all, we’ll make a correspondence map. So, the tip of the tongue “watches” the heart and lungs, its middle part - the stomach and pancreas (these zones are located on the middle fold of the tongue), as well as the liver and spleen. By the root of the tongue, one can judge the state of the intestine, and by the lateral sections - the kidneys. The median fold of the tongue reflects the condition of the spine.
The location of the zones in the tongue schematically repeats the placement of the corresponding organs of the body, from the tip - the upper part of the body and to the root - the lower part of the body.

A healthy person is a pale pink tongue, without plaque, with an even fold, well-defined papillae.
In summer, the papillae of the tongue have a reddish tint and are slightly enlarged, and in the fall and spring they are slightly yellowish or light. Eating foods, such as blueberries and beets, and overly hot foods, and medications taken, and the design of dentures, and the composition of the composite from which the seal is made, can affect the condition of the tongue. This should be remembered when evaluating your health by language, so as not to take the trace of the eaten carrots for a serious ailment.

Domestic experience in language diagnosis was first generalized in the work “Recognition of diseases by language” of the head physician Mikhail Nechaev back in 1835.
The language of healthy children and adults has a pale pink color, a flat surface, made up of small papillae on the tip, in the middle third of the large ones, and on the root of the tongue - from massive clusters of papillae.

These papillae represent approximately ten thousand gustatory, thermal, and biochemical analyzers that are directly connected to various parts of the intestine, liver, gall bladder, spleen, and central nervous system in the simplest way (through nerve conductors).
We are so arranged that many organs of the digestive system are projected onto separate parts of the surface of our tongue.

For example, the stomach is in the entire middle part of the tongue,
the liver - at the level of small molars,
and at the tip of the tongue is the sigmoid and rectum.

Therefore, inflammatory and non-inflammatory diseases of these organs are necessarily manifested by changes in the appearance of the tongue
There are very few rules in medicine without exception, but among them there is one such rule:

symptoms of diseases appear in the tongue about a day or two before the affected organs begin to hurt.

Check your tongue more often!

So, what can the color change of the tongue tell if, normally, the tongue should be pink.
Look at your tongue in the mirror. Observe its size, outline, surface, edges and color.

Note. This chart is a reflection of your language in the mirror (this is a mirror image).

Crimson signals about poisoning, which are accompanied by high fever, about serious infectious diseases or about a severe form of pneumonia.
· Red - disorders in the cardiac and pulmonary systems, blood diseases, infectious diseases.
· Dark red - the ailments are the same as with red, but the position of the patient is much more serious.
Dark red color tongue speaks of severe renal, toxic disorders.
The alternation of white and red spots is characteristic of scarlet fever.

If color bluish - there is a defect in the heart.
Bluish coloration of the lower side of the tongue can be caused by circulatory disorders with cardiopulmonary insufficiency.
Cyanotic shade upper and especially lower surface of the tongue
long before the appearance of “heaviness” on the heart, pain and sudden weakness, it will tell you about cardiovascular insufficiency in middle-aged people, who are usually not ready to meet a sudden heart attack, and will help preventive measures for elderly people suffering from chronic heart failure.

Violet color of tongue - serious diseases of the blood and lungs

Black tongue indicates a possible cholera infection

Bloodless, a very pale tongue is a sure sign of anemia and a sharp depletion of the body
Pale color the lower side of the tongue speaks of the pathology of the gallbladder and liver.
If there is a discoloration of the tongue, its lethargy, or the raising of its sphere, then this important organ has a defect.
For example, if you see a tooth imprint along the edges of the tongue, this indicates a lack of digestibility of the intestine.
Discoloration or hypersensitivity of certain parts of the tongue indicates a violation in those organs that are associated with this part

Whitish color indicates a violation of kapha and accumulation of mucus. Red or yellow-green indicates pit disturbance. A dark brown color indicates a cotton wool breach. Dehydration of the tongue is a symptom of a decrease in the dhatu of the race (plasma). A pale tongue indicates a decrease in Dhatu Rakta (red blood cells).
The nature and color of the plaque in different areas of the tongue is also a signal of the presence of a disease.

- A thin coating is a sign of an incipient disease, a thick one is a chronic one. - A thickening of the plaque indicates the progression of the disease, and enlightenment and reduction inspires optimism: health has recovered.

- Plaque covering the tongue indicates toxins in the stomach, small or large intestine.
- If the plaque has laid the foundation of the tongue, the doctor may suspect a violation of the intestines and kidneys.
- If only the back of the tongue is covered with plaque, there are toxins in the colon,
- If plaque is in the middle of the tongue, toxins are present in the stomach and small intestine.
- A thin, easily removable whitish coating on the tongue and a metallic taste in the mouth always accompany acute gastroenteritis (damage to the stomach and small intestine), and it is up to the person to consult a doctor on time.

- In case of fat, silty plaque of the tongue - stagnation of food, accumulation of mucus, etc.,
- with spotty purple plaque of the tongue - stagnation of blood.
- A thin coating of the tongue indicates an onset disease (or superficial localization of the process),
- A thick coating of the tongue is about a chronic disease (or deep localization of the process).
- whitish plaque in the middle third with cracks along the edges signals: gastritis, gastric and duodenal ulcers are likely.
- Whitish plaque at the root - enterocolitis.
- White plaque around the edges and on the front third - lung disease.
- Foamy plaque around the edges and on the front third - chronic bronchitis.
- White plaque on the edges of the posterior third - kidney disease.
- White coating over the entire surface - dysbiosis, thrush, stomatitis.
- White and red spots (the so-called strawberry tongue) - scarlet fever.
- Plaque of blue color - typhoid, dysentery.
- A dense white color of plaque is evidence of intoxication, constipation.
- White plaque indicates increased dryness of the digestive system.
- White plaque on the posterior third of the tongue indicates a pathology of the large intestine;
- In the middle third of the tongue - on problems with the duodenum.
- A yellowish plaque is a sign of problems in the gallbladder.
Yellowness in the lower part of the tongue speaks of developing jaundice.
The tongue took on a yellow color - disturbances in the functioning of the digestive organs, liver disease, and chronic cholecystitis are likely.
With a yellow coating of the tongue - an excess of heat in the body. If the color is yellowish, there is an excess of bile in the gallbladder or a violation in the liver.
Yellow plaque increases with seasonal exacerbations of the liver and gall bladder.
One of the signs of developing jaundice is yellowness in the lower part of the tongue, which is found when lifting it to the sky.

Brown - diseases of the lungs and organs of the gastrointestinal tract.
A brown coating along the edge of the tongue (symmetrically with respect to the median fold) signals bilateral pneumonia.
- Black-brown plaque, with cracks - With pellagra (deficiency of nicotinic acid and vitamin B) - the tongue is covered with a hard-to-detachable plaque that resembles a chessboard.
In the late stage of pellagra, the tongue acquires a red tint with a varnished surface - “Cardinal language”.

The dark color of the plaque indicates severe chronic disorders of the digestive system, accompanied by dehydration.
Black plaque indicates disorders in the digestive system, especially in the pancreas and gall bladder, as well as violations of the acid-base balance of the blood due to dehydration.

A line in the middle of the tongue indicates excitement along the spinal column. If this line is curved, it may indicate a deformation or curvature of the spine.

Imprints of teeth on the front of the tongue and on its lateral surface indicate hidden neuroses. The deeper the prints, the more pronounced the neurosis.

A curved or deflected tongue indicates an ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke, a violation of the functions of the cerebellum or cerebral circulation.
Strips of foam on both sides may indicate rheumatism.
Flat sores indicate a tuberculous process in the body.
Dry tongue with numerous cracks occurs in patients with diabetes.
Trembling tongue becomes with neurotic disorders and diseases of the brain.

Varnished tongue.
The lacquered tongue has a shiny, smooth, bright red surface due to atrophy of the taste buds.
With some diseases, the number of papillae decreases, they become almost invisible, and sometimes completely absent.
Because of this, the tongue looks smooth and shiny, like the entire mucous membrane of the mouth.
It occurs with stomach cancer, with the inability of the body to absorb vitamin B2, chronic colitis.
With pellagra (deficiency of nicotinic acid and vitamin B) - the tongue is covered with a hard-to-detachable coating of black-brown color, with cracks resembling a chessboard. In the late stage of pellagra, the tongue acquires a red tint with a varnished surface - “Cardinal language”.

"Geographic" language
In children, it is always a sign of food allergy, and the location of the inflamed and non-inflamed sections of the mucous membrane (“continents” and “seas”) very accurately indicates the involvement of one or another organ of the digestive system in an allergic disease.

The geographical language, characterized by the presence on its surface of various in color and size areas with deep furrows and reliefs, is typical for people with chronic lesions of the gastrointestinal tract and with some mental disorders.
Geographic language is found in chronic lesions of the gastrointestinal tract, as well as in some forms of mental disorders. In this language, you can almost immediately make a diagnosis of the allergic state of individual organs.
If bright red spots appear against the background of a normal pink color, then the disappearance of the papillae is a sign of anemia (anemia). An enlarged, uniformly red, but not raspberry lacquered tongue is most often a sign of metabolic disorders.
And -
"Geographic" language (uneven desquamation and regeneration of the epithelium) - disorders in the gastrointestinal tract, helminthic infestations, diathesis, toxicosis of pregnant women. When the tongue is braided

The main signs of gastrointestinal diseases, in the language
When examining the language, attention is paid to the color, nature and location of the plaque, to the shape and features of the surface and to various formations in the language.
Smoothness of the entire surface of the tongue indicates a decreased secretion of gastric juice (hypocidal gastritis), which may occur as a result of stomach disease, but may be the result of other diseases (for example, liver and gall bladder diseases).
Rough inflamed or non-inflamed papillae on the entire surface of the tongue are more often observed with increased secretion of gastric juice (hyperacid gastritis).
Redness and mild soreness of the tip of the tongue - (of course, not associated with its burn) definitely indicate some kind of disease of the pelvic organs: sigmoid or rectum, bladder, uterus.

Edema and redness of the right half of the tongue from the tip to its middle indicate an inflammatory disease of the liver.
The same changes on the left are spleen disease. The appearance of ulcers in these areas means the severity and chronic nature of the disease.
The same changes in the middle part of the tongue and its edges on both sides lead to a serious lung disease (earlier, first of all, tuberculosis was meant, now - chronic pneumonia and oncological diseases).

The pathology of the digestive system often leads to noticeable changes in the surface of the tongue. different parts of the tongue are associated with different organs of the body.

A thin, easily removable whitish coating on the tongue and a metallic taste in the mouth always accompany acute gastroenteritis (damage to the stomach and small intestine), and it is up to the person to consult a doctor on time.
And chronic gastroenteritis is always accompanied by a sticky, hard-to-remove plaque of gray color with a putrid breath and pungent taste.

Peptic ulcer of the stomach or duodenum is always accompanied by chronic gastroenteritis, therefore, a gray coating on the tongue is a constant sign of these diseases,
but with them another one is added to this external symptom -
inflammation of the edges of the oral mucosa around the necks of the front and root teeth of the lower jaw.
By the nature and severity of inflammation of the mucous membrane around these teeth, one can pre-judge the exacerbation or subsidence of peptic ulcer.

Diagnostics by language - in photos

Boneless tongue
Indeed, the language itself cannot boast of solid support. But the fold going in its middle accurately reflects the condition of the human spine. So, the curvature of the fold at the tip of the tongue signals cervical osteochondrosis, in the middle - about problems in the chest, at the root - about lumbar osteochondrosis.
And the imprints of the teeth on the tongue, unless you accidentally bite it, speak of digestive disorders.

Signals of diseases that you can detect in the diagnosis of language:
1. Excited state of the body (thickened smooth median fold).
2. Curvature of the spine in the lumbar region.
3. Curvature of the spine in the thoracic region.
4. Curvature of the spine in the cervical spine.
5. Chronic enterocolitis, dyspepsia (imprints of teeth on the lateral surfaces of the tongue).
6. Thyrotoxicosis, neurasthenia, alcoholism (trembling of the tongue).
7. Chronic diseases of the large intestine (many small interwoven folds).
8. Poor kidney function.
9. Dysfunction of the large intestine.
10. Intoxication of the large intestine.
11. Intoxication of the gastrointestinal tract.
12. Weakness of cardiac activity.
13. Chronic bronchitis.
14. Bilateral pneumonia (brown plaque).
15. Emphysema.

Tongue color - The bodies, as doctors say, are very informative.
Redness of the tip is a sign of weak cardiac activity, possibly starting coronary artery disease.
· The tongue is pale - exhaustion.
· Red - disorders in the cardiac and pulmonary systems, blood diseases, infectious diseases.
· Dark red - the ailments are the same as with red, but the position of the patient is much more serious.
Shiny smooth - anemia.
Violet - serious diseases of the blood and lungs.
· Blue - disorders in the cardiovascular system, lungs, and kidney problems.
And further…
Tongue will bring to the doctor
So what kind of specialist to run to, if you do not fit? The language is able to give the right clue. -
For instance,
- Dry tongue, numerous cracks - fever, diarrhea, diabetes, anemia.
- Burning - stress, vegetoneurosis, cervical osteochondrosis.
- Swelling and redness on the right - hepatocholecystitis.
- Swelling and redness on the left - diseases of the spleen.
- Tremor (trembling) of the tongue - a manifestation of neurasthenic syndrome, vegetoneurosis, thyrotoxicosis.
- “Geographic” language (uneven desquamation and regeneration of the epithelium) - disorders in the gastrointestinal tract, helminthic infestations, diathesis, toxicosis of pregnant women. When the tongue is braided

Another sign of a malfunction in the body is a decrease in taste.
If a person ceases to feel sweet, sour, salty or bitter, diseases of the nervous, endocrine systems are likely.
An overdose of drugs, especially antibiotics, can also affect the tongue. This is the so-called drug disease caused by intoxication of the body. Plaque, cracks, erosion, herpetic eruptions, but most often thrush, may appear on the tongue.
Having noticed these signals in time, you should immediately stop taking the medicine and consult your doctor. To not scratch your tongue
Do not forget to regularly show yourself your tongue so as not to miss the signals that not everything is safe in the body.
By the way, it’s better to show the language in the way Albert Einstein did in the famous photo, for this you will have to stick it out as much as possible to see the root.

And yet - you need to inspect the language when it is clean. It can be put in order with a special massager for the tongue, which is sold in a pharmacy, or with a soft toothbrush. In addition to hygienic benefits, this procedure due to massage will have a very beneficial effect on the work of those organs with which the tongue, as it turns out, is deeply “tied”.

For our part, we can regularly cleanse the surface of the oral muscle from plaque using a silver or wooden spoon, followed by massaging the tongue with a soft toothbrush.

This simple procedure helps to improve the condition of the whole organism.

Of course, everyone knows that there are special devices for cleaning the tongue. And they appeared at least five centuries ago.

Says Anna Yuryevna Volkovich, candidate of cultural studies, senior researcher at the Military Medical Museum of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation in St. Petersburg.

Even Avicenna in her treatises said that it is necessary to clean the tongue of plaque, which gives an unpleasant smell to breathing. For these purposes, the famous doctor recommended cypress cones and slivers of trees rich in essential oils.

Armenian doctors, who lived more than five hundred years ago, were also called upon to use improvised means. The first material evidence was discovered in 1998 during excavations in China.

Archaeologists have found scrapers made of silver and coated with a thick layer of gold. They were intended for daily use by representatives of the ancient Chinese nobility. The widespread distribution of scrapers in China was noted by the Russian doctor Pyasetskiy, who visited the Celestial Empire in 1874. In his notes, he notes that local gourmets carefully clean their tongue before each meal. It was believed that this procedure allows you to better assess the taste of the prepared dishes.

But scrapers for the tongue were common among Europeans. For example, when the future Russian emperor Pavel and his wife were in France, Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI presented them with a travel bag, which, among other things, also contained a tongue scraper. Then they removed a copy from the turtle shell, and Alexander I already used it.

Charles XII also had his own personal device for cleaning the tongue. It was entirely made of ivory, only three lunate cracks were cut on the working part, which increased the functionality of the scraper. The pen was decorated with a heraldic pattern.

But scrapers were not only the prerogative of kings and kings. The oral people were very carefully looked after by the court people. From the silver cases of the craftsmen, they placed orders not only for jewelry and dishes, but also for various trinkets - mirrors, combs, perfume bottles and ... tongues scrapers.

By the way, completely unique scrapers were made in Russia, there were none like that anywhere else. They were silver spoons with several narrow half-moon slits. There was a special edge on the handle, with the help of which the middle line of the tongue was cleaned. In a word, all the subtleties of its anatomical structure were taken into account. In addition, silver disinfected the oral cavity and was a good prevention of inflammation.

In Western Europe, things were completely different. There were common ivory scrapers or horny scrapers with a working part in the form of a loop. Such bone products were very often combined with toothpicks or even with scrapers to clean the cheek mucosa. The wealthy Europeans preferred silver scrapers with gold plating.

According to its laws, the structure of the scraper also developed. For several centuries, it remained standard: the length of the handle was 8–9 cm, and the working part was relatively small. In the XVIII century, travel and pocket personal care products became very common, they were made very small. And then there was a tendency to increase the cleaning part itself, which made it possible to process the root of the tongue well.

Now almost all scrapers are made of plastic. Therefore, products have to be changed quite often - about the same as toothbrushes. This is also logical because most modern scrapers have bristles. There are scrapers in which the working part is represented by a pointed end.

And recently they began to produce very interesting toothbrushes: they have bristles on one side and a scraper on the other. Given this diversity, everyone can choose a model to their liking. You just need to remember that our tongue needs to be brushed no less than teeth.

In contact with

Language is a very important organ. It has many functions, such as determining taste, mixing food when we chew and, of course, speech.

The tongue is the muscles covered by the mucous membrane. On its surface there are papillae - analyzers, it is they who distinguish the taste of food. In addition to all functions, language is also an indicator of the internal state of the body. No wonder doctors, when examining a patient, are asked to show the tongue.

The ability to determine the disease by language, of course, is an interesting thing, but despite this it doesn’t mean at all that you are really sick, but it’s certainly worth contacting a doctor for your own comfort.

In eastern medicine, each part of the tongue is responsible for the activity of one or another organ, for example, the tip of the tongue is the lungs and heart, the middle part of the stomach, spleen, liver, pancreas. If you look at the root of the tongue, then here the intestines work, the side sections are the kidneys. So what diseases are identified by language?

How can diseases be identified by language?

Determining health by language is a quick way to identify not only obvious and hidden diseases. This method is popular with healers of the east. It is better to examine the tongue on an empty stomach, in daylight. Pay attention to the shape size surface color, the presence of plaque.

Healthy pinkish tongue, clean without plaque. The size is normal, not beyond the line of the teeth, the surface is flat, with prominent taste buds. If you find differences on some grounds, then study your language in detail.

If the tongue is not pink, then health problems are possible. It is necessary to consider the language itself, and not plaque on it.

How to use color to identify a disease by language?

If the tongue is red, then the problems in the work of the heart and pulmonary system are infectious diseases and blood diseases.
Redness of the tip of the tongue indicates a weakness in heart activity, a developing coronary artery disease.
If the tongue is dark red in color, kidney disorders, infectious diseases, pneumonia are a dangerous form.
If the tongue is bluish in the upper and lower parts, cardiovascular failure or arrhythmia is possible.
A dark purple color indicates coronary heart disease, cerebrovascular accident, chronic heart failure, angina pectoris, stagnation and blood clotting problems.
The bright pink color of the tongue is a sign of inflammation or SARS.
A pale, bloodless tongue also speaks of exhaustion.
The pale color of the lower part of the tongue is a sign of pathologies of the liver and gall bladder.
A yellowish color is a sign of liver problems, there may be chronic cholecystitis, problems in the functioning of the digestive system.

These are the main points when you can determine the disease by the language, its color.

How else can you identify diseases by language?

The nature and color of the plaque in the tongue indicate different diseases. Thin plaque means that the disease is just beginning, thick says chronic disease. To determine the disease by language, you need to look at what part of it is covered with plaque.

Pay attention to your language, maybe you will immediately find deviations from a healthy appearance and even try to identify the disease by language. But don’t panic immediately if you suddenly find a disease in your tongue, just take a closer look at your health and go to the doctor.

Be healthy! Waiting for your comments!

I suggest watching an educational video about the language.

A significant role in the diagnosis of diseases is represented by studies of the size, shape and color of the surface of the tongue.

Tongue - organ of taste and speech. The language has many tasks: it is mixing food during chewing, and determining taste, and, of course, speech. The tongue consists of muscles covered on top of the mucous membrane. It is divided into two departments, between which, however, there is no clear boundary. The back of the tongue, which on one side fuses with the mucous membrane of the mouth, is the root.

The front part, which moves freely in different directions, is called the body of the tongue. The upper surface of the tongue is called its back. You probably paid attention to the fact that the tongue outwardly appears velvety, not as smooth and shiny as the mucous membrane of the oral cavity.

Its entire surface is covered with papillae, the main task of which is to distinguish the taste of food. It is these papillae that give the tongue a velvety appearance. There are 4 types of papillae. The smallest of them - threadlike - cover the entire surface of the tongue and resemble the pile of the carpet. Larger papillae - mushroom-shaped - are located on the back of the tongue between the filiform.

Leaf-shaped papillae are somewhat reminiscent of fish gills. They are located on the lateral surfaces of the tongue, and are seen worse in adults than in children. The largest papillae are grooved. There are not very many of them - from 7 to 11. They are located on the back of the back and actually serve as the boundary between the body and the root.

Language has long been considered an indicator of human health. Sometimes its changes appear before all other signs of the disease.

In ancient Chinese medicine, there are two main approaches to the topography of the zones of the tongue: according to the theory of “Three heaters”, the tip of the tongue corresponds to the “upper focus”, the middle to the “middle focus”, the base of the tongue to the “lower focus”, ie the upper, middle and lower body .

We perceive the taste with the tongue when the tongue is wet. A dry tongue cannot perceive taste. If a person ceases to feel sweet, sour, salty or bitter, diseases of the nervous, endocrine system are likely.

Language is also the organ of speech used to turn thoughts, concepts, ideas, and feelings into words. A study of this important organ will provide information on what is happening in the body.

According to Tibet’s traditional medicine, the tongue is associated with the heart. The state of the tongue and speech reflect heart problems. However, the body functions as a whole and the connection of the heart with other organs is reflected in the language.

The tongue of a healthy person has a smooth pink surface and is covered with a slight whitish coating, which is also formed on the teeth. There is not much of it, and therefore the pink color of the tongue is preserved, and the papillae on its surface are clearly visible.

The language of a healthy person looks velvety due to the large number of papillae.

Look at your tongue in the mirror. Observe its size, surface and shape.

When examining the language, you should pay attention to:

2. The nature of the plaque in different areas of the language.

3. The shape and nature of the surface. The surface can be: dense, smooth, loose, striated, etc.

4. Various formations in the language - papillomas, blisters, aphthae. The place of their localization indicates a diseased organ.

5. Mobility of the tongue.

This allows you to judge the functional state of various body systems, and above all about the state of the blood. Pa classification of Chinese doctors, hard, hardened tongue, "+", represents an excess state; the language of normal consistency, "0", is a normal state; soft tongue, "-", - insufficient condition.

In the Chinese diagnostic system, language serves by passing through the corresponding energy channels. The corresponding section of the channel (meridian) in the language reflects a number of body functions associated with it and is associated with certain organs through which it passes. For example, the heart meridian goes to the root of the tongue, the spleen meridian passes along the lower surface, the kidney meridian ends at its root. Pathological changes in these organs are reflected in the appearance of the tongue and its coating. Humidity, dryness and other signs of the tongue give an idea of \u200b\u200bthe syndromes of emptiness, fullness, heat and cold, traditional for Chinese medicine. The raids indicate the nature and course of the disease.

One of the oldest language diagnostic systems is presented in Ayurveda ("Jiva"). According to it, each body has its own “representation” in the language, according to the projection scheme. This language scheme represents a “double-inverted map” on which projections of the corresponding organs are located. By the characteristics of plaque, redness, and other signs, one can judge the processes in organs and systems, their intensity and development.

Hollow and dense organs of our body are projected in different parts of the tongue. Discoloration or hypersensitivity of certain parts of the tongue indicates a violation in those organs that are associated with this part.

The study of the language provides valuable information about the energy balance of the internal organs and allows you to make an accurate diagnosis in case of their violation. The language diagnoses in traditional Tibetan medicine are as follows:

Tongue red, wet: blooming energy and blood;

The tongue is pale: energy and blood are weak ;.

Plaque in the tongue is thin, white, moist: the energy of the stomach is flourishing;

The tongue is brilliant, without plaque: the energy of the stomach is weak, its intracretory activity is affected.

Diagnosis of diseases by language is an important step in examining a patient in Tibet, China and India. According to the Five Elements theory, the tip of the tongue is associated with the condition of the heart and lungs, the lateral parts of the tongue are the liver and gall bladder, the back of the tongue is the stomach and spleen, and the root of the tongue is associated with the state of the kidneys.

The increase and redness of the papillae of the right half of the tongue to the tip is observed with liver damage, the left half - with pathology of the spleen. Detection of reddened papillae on the tip of the tongue indicates a disease of the pelvic organs, red papillae are higher along the edges and in the middle of the tongue are the lungs.

Changes in the surface of the tongue are most often observed in diseases not directly related to the pathology of the oral cavity.

Dry tongue mucous membrane can be a sign of a large number of diseases. Sometimes the reason lies in the production of insufficient amounts of saliva or thirst. Tongue can become dry with an increase in body temperature, as well as with some serious diseases (for example, with a coma arising from diabetes mellitus), with intestinal obstruction, peritonitis (inflammation of the peritoneum). Often the dryness of the tongue is combined with a brown coating on it. Sometimes the mucous membrane loses so much moisture that cracks even appear on it.

In some diseases, for example, with gastritis, peptic ulcer of the stomach or duodenum, with insufficient kidney function, appendicitis, cholecystitis, with infectious diseases (for example, measles), as well as poisoning with poor-quality food or some drugs, the tongue changes color due to for excess plaque.

Such a tongue looks slightly swollen and moist. Most often, it is covered with a powerful white coating, due to which the papillae are almost invisible. The plaque is removed with a toothbrush, but after a while it is again covered with plaque.

If the color is pale, then this indicates signs of anemia or lack of blood in the body. A whitish color indicates mucus disorders. White faint plaque reflects a decrease in acidity in the stomach, accompanied by dysbiosis.

The general characteristic changes in the language indicated above indicate a close relationship between the digestive organs: stomach, spleen, pancreas, brain structures and psyche.

With a yellow coating of the tongue - excess heat in the body. With fatty, silty plaque of the tongue - stagnation of food, accumulation of mucus, etc., with spotty purple plaque of the tongue - stagnation of blood. A thin coating of the tongue indicates a beginning disease (or superficial localization of the process), a thick coating of the tongue indicates a chronic disease (or deep localization of the process).

If the color is yellowish, there is an excess of bile in the gallbladder or a violation in the liver. Yellow plaque increases with seasonal exacerbations of the liver and gall bladder. One of the signs of developing jaundice is yellowness in the lower part of the tongue, which is found when lifting it to the sky.

If there is a discoloration of the tongue, its lethargy, or the raising of its sphere, then this important organ has a defect. For example, if you see a tooth imprint along the edges of the tongue, this indicates a lack of digestibility of the intestine.

The cause of the disease with a white coating can be cold, humidity, wind. If a white coating on the tongue, gradually thickening, becomes yellow, and then gray and dark, this means the progression of the disease and, conversely, enlightenment and thinning of the coating indicates an improvement.

Plaque covering the tongue indicates toxins in the stomach, small or large intestine. If plaque covers only the back of the tongue, there are toxins in the colon; if plaque is in the middle of the tongue, toxins are present in the stomach, duodenum, and small intestine.

A line in the middle of the tongue indicates excitement running along the spinal column. If this line is curved, it may indicate a deformation or curvature of the spine.

Red or yellow-green indicates a violation of bile, with an exacerbation of peptic ulcer of the stomach or duodenum, it can become too red, but wet.

A tongue with a black coating is a terrible indication of a violation of the digestive system, especially the gall bladder and pancreas. Black plaque also indicates a violation of blood pH in the direction of acidosis (acid-base balance), due to dehydration.

Another thing is when such a color is caused by a disease - Crohn's disease. At the same time, the amount of hormones of the adrenal glands in the body decreases, as a result of which an increased amount of melanin (the very pigment that forms during tanning) is produced in the skin and mucous membranes. As a result, the tongue is covered with blue-black spots of various shapes and sizes, or even turns black. In this case, the color does not fade after cleaning and over time until the treatment of the disease.

The lacquered tongue has a shiny, smooth, bright red surface due to atrophy of the taste buds. In some diseases, the number of papillae decreases, they become almost invisible, and sometimes completely absent. Because of this, the tongue looks smooth and shiny, like the entire mucous membrane of the mouth. It occurs in gastric cancer, chronic colitis. With pellagra (deficiency of nicotinic acid and vitamin B) - the tongue is covered with a hard-to-detachable bloom of black-brown color, with cracks resembling a chessboard. In the late stage of pellagra, the tongue acquires a red tint with a varnished surface - the “cardinal language”.

The geographical language is characterized by the presence on its surface of various in color and size sections with deep furrows and reliefs. Geographic language is found in chronic lesions of the gastrointestinal tract, as well as in some forms of mental disorders. In this language, you can almost immediately diagnose the allergic state of individual organs.

If bright red spots appear against the background of a normal pink color, then the disappearance of the papillae is a sign of anemia (anemia). An enlarged, uniformly red, but not raspberry lacquered tongue is most often a sign of metabolic disorders.

When examining the language, the following symptoms are often noted:

Deep fingerprints on the lateral surface and the front of the tongue characterize the stress state, hidden neuroses, and the more pronounced the neurosis, the clearer the prints.

In severe infectious diseases, poisoning, accompanied by high fever, severe pneumonia, the tongue acquires a red (raspberry) color.

In severe renal, toxic disorders, the tongue has a dark red color.

A pale, bloodless tongue indicates anemia and a sharp depletion of the body.

In advanced cases of cardiovascular disorders, a bluish tinge of the tongue is observed. Moreover, a sharply cyanotic tongue is a formidable sign of imminent death.

With impaired functions of the cerebellum, cerebral circulation, hemorrhagic or ischemic stroke, the tongue bends or deviates to the side.

A predisposition to vascular disorders of the brain is also indicated by a tongue with deep transverse cracks.

Flat sores on the tongue indicate a tuberculosis process.

Black tongue may indicate a cholera infection.

When plaque on the middle part of the tongue and the light red color of its tip and edges, you can think about the violation of the acid-forming function of the stomach.

Strips of foam on both sides of the tongue indicate the presence of rheumatism.

With scarlet fever, the tongue resembles strawberries with sour cream - an alternation of white and red spots.

Trembling tongue indicates a brain disease or a deep neurotic disorder. Tongue jerking. A very striking sign of some diseases (for example, hyperthyroidism) is the trembling of the protruding tongue. In severe forms of the disease, fingers, eyelids, and sometimes the whole body tremble. For some neurological and mental illnesses (for example, chorea), the protruding tongue deviates to the side.

Small trembling of the tongue is observed in chronic alcoholics, moderate intensity tremors in patients with neurosis, fibrillar twitching and atrophy of the tongue in patients with damage to the medulla oblongata.

With anemia due to iron deficiency, the body has a burning sensation and tingling in the tongue. With some types of anemia, there is a smooth, as if scraped, tongue, devoid of the papillary layer.

Diabetes is characterized by a dry tongue, the surface of which has numerous cracks. With a diabetic coma, the tongue can also acquire a brownish-brown color, which develops in patients with diabetes mellitus in the absence of proper treatment.

With a bluish coloration of the lower side of the tongue, one can assume a violation of blood circulation with cardiopulmonary insufficiency. If the color is bluish - there is a defect in the heart.

A pale coloration of the lower side of the tongue indicates a pathology of the liver and gall bladder.

Feeling unwell, a long time without decreasing temperature, abdominal pain and such a plaque on the tongue are sufficient reasons for urgent medical attention, since the abscess can erupt, causing peritonitis (inflammation of the peritoneum). In addition, a slightly lighter, but also gray coating appears on the tongue with diphtheria.

An enlarged, thick tongue is observed with its inflammation, decreased thyroid function, pituitary disease, pathology of the reticular formation of the trunk, and mental illness.

Often the tip or lateral edges of the tongue fall between the teeth, and the person constantly bites him. As a result, you can see not only a clearly enlarged tongue, but also traces of teeth along its edges. Such signs may indicate a decrease in the number of thyroid hormones in the blood - hypothyroidism.

White or grayish-white spots on the tongue and on the mucous membrane of the cheeks appear most often occur with constant irritation of the mucous membrane (for example, when smoking). Such spots themselves are not dangerous, but subsequently they can cause the development of a malignant tumor.

An ulcer on the surface of the tongue is a wound that does not heal for a long time. Ulcers on the surface of the tongue can be a sign of Crohn's disease. This disease captures most of the digestive system, starting with the intestines. Ulcers can be different.

The ulcers in Crohn’s disease are usually small, several at once appear and cause a lot of unpleasant sensations. If on the surface of the tongue (most often on the back) one ulcer appears (it can be of various sizes), round or oval, with clear borders, with a bright red, shiny, hard surface - this is a sign of the primary period of syphilis.

Syphilitic ulcer almost never hurts. Its edges only rise slightly above the surface of the tongue or are on the same level with it. Sometimes its bottom may be covered with a grayish-yellow film.

Warts - growths of the skin or mucous membrane, which almost never cause their owner unpleasant sensations, since they do not hurt. The appearance of warts on the skin can be caused by a virus. This is quite common. On the mucous membranes, and even more so in the tongue, warts rarely occur, and therefore their appearance should alert. For example, small warts that occur on the sides of the tongue closer to its root may be a sign
HIV infection.

According to observations, the curvature of the tongue may be due to somatic disorders. If one or another half of the body suffers: the left (spleen, left lung) or right (liver, right lung), the corresponding half of the tongue changes in volume, and its tip deviates. This circumstance should be taken into account in neurology when evaluating the central paresis of the hyoid nerve.

The layout of the "areas of responsibility" of the internal organs in the language.

Examples of observations of the condition of the tongue, which can be a clue to a practitioner.

Diagnosis through visual language learning plays a secondary role in Tibetan medicine. However, this method can be used as a quick form of additional diagnosis to check for a number of symptoms.

If there is an imbalance, the language can have the following characteristics:

The state of the tongue with an imbalance of energy Lung (wind)

Red.

With small dents around the edges.

Rough.

The condition of the tongue with an imbalance of energy Tripa (bile)

(Pale) yellowish plaque (more or less dense).

Slightly bitter taste.

“Dirty” in appearance.

The state of the tongue with an imbalance in Peken energy (mucus)

(Pale) whitish-gray coating (more or less dense).

The tongue is moist and sticky.

The tongue is somewhat swollen, as if inflamed.

Smooth surface.

Dull surface.

Other areas of examination

In the East, attention is paid to all parts of the body when examining a patient. Tibetan and Ayurvedic doctors can find out a lot from a person’s face. For example: dark circles under the eyes - lack of qi energy in the kidneys; puffiness - kidney / spleen disease; nerve traits - a long-term imbalance of yin / yang.

Brushes can also tell a lot. The color of the nail bed, discoloration of the nails, dryness or humidity, and muscularness of the hands can become keys to certain conditions. Feet also provide a lot of information for the doctor.

The structure of the back, the balance of the shoulder girdle and pelvis also serve as important signs of the possible causes of the disease.

. Morozova O.G., Zdybsky V.I., Scherbakov S.S., Isvansky Yu.V.The beauty of language diagnosis is its simplicity and efficiency. Whenever there is a complex violation full of contradictions, a study of the language can help identify the main pathological process. The text is illustrated by 54 figures and 8 tables.

. Davydov M.A.
Diagnosis of the patient’s face helps the therapist (massage therapist) to identify the “problem areas” of his body, and then conduct the appropriate correction of organs and systems through the use of the Wing Chun massage technique. Let's say a few words about the name of the Wing Chun technique, which means “eternal spring” and hints at a long state of youth. The technique of massage plastic surgery of Wing Chun is based on stepwise preparation of the human body (patient). E.I. Gonikman. The proposed atlas contains detailed descriptions and images of various types of persons divided into zones, with their corresponding interpretation in Chinese medicine. Very essential in this diagnosis is the ability to know in advance about upcoming excesses within the body and timely correct them.

Basics of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Diagnostics by pulse, tongue, navel. DVD-rip. (2011). Educational video.
Seven questions about the face. 6th series from the series "Mystical Asia" DVD-rip. (2007). Doc movie. South Korea. What can a person tell about a person? It turns out that it carries 99% of the information about us.

In a healthy person, the tongue has a soft consistency, its color is pale pink, in the middle is a groove that divides it into two halves. Normally, the tongue has a coating on the tongue that is transparent and odorless. If the body malfunctions in the established work of internal organs, a pathological plaque appears, the color and structure of the tongue change. With such changes, a visit to the doctor is necessary, because this is the first signal about the onset of the disease.

Signs of pathological plaque

Thickness

The initial stages of the disease are usually indicated by a thin coating, it is also a consequence of acute respiratory diseases or a viral infection. Thick plaque makes it difficult to determine the color of the tongue. It occurs in chronic forms of diseases, and is a consequence of any infectious process.

Color

Plaque on the tongue can have various shades, namely:

white
gray
yellow
green
brown
orange
blue
the black.

Consistency

Wet
Dry
Curd cheese
Fatty

Localization

Location. It can cover the entire area of \u200b\u200bthe tongue - diffuse, or on its individual parts, in small areas - local.

Is it easy to remove the language from the language:

Heavy plaque - it is difficult to remove, the surface bleeds after removal.
Soft coating - It is easily removed, sometimes it slides with spots on the tongue.

The color of plaque and the reasons for its occurrence

Plaque color	Causes of occurrence
White	The most harmless. It can appear in the morning, and is also easy to clean with hygiene procedures. What does a thick white coating say? Possible problems with the immune system. If it has a curdled structure, a clear sign of fungal infection is candidiasis.
Gray	It is more serious, and appears due to non-treatment of the reasons for which there was a white coating. Also, with prolonged use of antibiotics, the tongue is covered with a coating of gray. Also, with prolonged use of antibiotics, the tongue is covered with a coating of gray.
Yellow	Acute viral infection, which is accompanied by fever. Digestive tract disorders: accumulation of toxins and toxins. If there is a bitter aftertaste in the mouth - a violation in the liver.
Green	A rare thing. With constant abuse in large quantities, fatty and fried foods, a green coating will be a signal that the liver is not coping.
Brown	It occurs in case of malfunctioning of the gallbladder. In case of violation of the digestive system (accompanied by abdominal pain and upset stool). In alcoholics, very often the whole tongue is coated with a bloom of brown. Also, sometimes, the abuse of brown foods (coffee, black tea, chocolate) may become the cause.
Orange	It is formed when it enters the oral cavity of a stomach acid - with gastritis.
Blue	As a result of a lack of ferrum, folic acid, Vit B12, Vit C. Malfunctions of the cardiovascular system. Problems in the work of the kidneys. Heavy metal poisoning, mercury.
The black	This is a dangerous sign. Appears with stagnation of bile (impaired liver function). When lead poisoning, black dots appear on the surface. Perhaps the development of Crohn's disease.

Video

Tongue in children

At the initial examination, the doctor determines the shade of the tongue, the location and thickness of the plaque on it, the relief of the organ, and motor functions. It is very important to identify additional diseases in the oral cavity.

Laboratory research methods

it is necessary to pass a general blood test. The level of leukocytes, an increase in the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) can be increased, this indicates an inflammatory reaction in the body.
sowing on flora from the surface of the tongue. The presence of the pathogen of infection and its sensitivity to antibacterial drugs is determined.
in order to exclude gastric ulcer, it is necessary to donate blood, for the determination of antibodies to Helicobacter pylori - the bacterium in the form of a spiral, which lives in the portal part of the stomach, can be the root cause in diseases of the digestive system.
conduct a biochemical blood test (to evaluate hepatic functions: ALaT, ASaT, GGT, blood albumin, bilirubin fractions).
coprological examination (for inflammatory diseases of the digestive system).

Instrumental research methods

Ultrasound of internal organs;
Fibrogastroduodenoscopy (to exclude diseases of the digestive system).

Treatment

The main rule is the treatment of the underlying disease!

If the tongue is yellow plaque, the patient is prescribed:

Drugs that increase the outflow of bile;
Preparations that restore the renal structure;
Antifungal agents;
Complexes of vitamins.

Change the diet;
Use antifungal agents;
Drug therapy with drugs that have B vitamins in their composition

Regular oral hygiene
Exclude the consumption of dyes or limit their intake in the body;
Increase the amount of water consumed.

To get rid of a gray coating it is necessary:

Antibacterial therapy;
Take antiviral drugs
Limit salt intake.

To treat plaques in the tongue, herbal medicine is used:

Use decoctions of plantain (leaves), yarrow, herbs of oregano, as well as linden. Prepared according to this recipe: brew a tablespoon in a glass of hot water, leave for 2.5 hours. Take 125 ml a couple of times a day (but not more than three).
flax seeds will be an excellent assistant. A decoction of them stabilizes the digestive system. It is recommended to be taken in the morning, on an empty stomach.
it is recommended to rinse your mouth several times a day with this combination of plants: mix mint, sage, strawberries, chamomile in one spoon, pour boiling water (250 ml), let it brew for half an hour, then strain.
thanks to its healing effects, oak bark also works well: 15 gr. (tablespoon) pour boiling water (250 ml), cool and rinse your mouth.

It is necessary to establish the reasons why the plaque appeared, if it remains in the language for a long time. The color of the plaque changes with the abuse of tea or coffee, with smoking, so the oral cavity must be examined in the morning, before eating. It is dangerous to engage in self-medication, because a plaque in the tongue may be the result of a serious illness that requires specific treatment under the supervision of specialists

Video

Prevention methods

after brushing your teeth, regularly brush your tongue;
regularly use mouthwashes;
use toothpaste with an antibacterial effect;
monitor the freshness of the teeth and oral cavity.