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In a healthy person, you probably
wouldn’t notice them, but there are
certain conditions that cause them
to grow, which can give the tongue a
furry appearance. There are several
things that could cause this, including
a possible bacterial infection.
“Bumps, or inflamed filiform
papillae, can occur on one or several
parts of the tongue. They are usually
nothing to be concerned about, however
if they turn very red or white,
are painful and tender for a long
time, and, most importantly, don’t
disappear within a few days, it could,
in the worst case scenario, be a sign
Tongue talk
Like fingerprints, everyone’s
tongue print is different.
There are approximately 9,000
taste buds on the tongue.
About 85 per cent of the population
can curl their tongue.
We have four basic tastes. The
salty and sweet taste buds are at
the tip of the tongue, bitter is at
the base, while the sour taste is
along the sides.
Too muCh CoFFEE CAn
DIsColour ThE TonguE
BrushIng ThE TonguE WITh
A TooThBrush Is ImporTAnT
of oral cancer, so make sure you seek
medical advice if this is the case.”
Another common complaint that
many people will experience at some
point in thier lives is canker sores,
more commonly known as mouth
ulcers. These little monsters can occur
anywhere in the mouth, including
the tongue, and although they are
usually small, they can be extremely
painful.
Dr Mansfield says, “Mouth ulcers
can brought on by colds or when a
person is run-down, has been eating
too much citrus fruit, or biting the
inside of the lips and the tongue. A
normal ulcer will heal itself within
about a week, but one that lasts
much longer and doesn’t seem to be
going away could be a sign of oral
cancer and should be checked out by
your doctor immediately.”
The shape our tongue takes is also
a clue to our body’s inner workings.
A tongue that is tooth-marked or has
scalloped edges may suggest congestion
of the lymphatic system, while
cracking and dryness around the
edges could indicate dehydration,
and cracks at the centre of the tongue
are believed to indicate digestive
problems. So, next time you look in
the mirror, why not pull a few funny
faces at yourself? You never know
what it could reveal.
The shape our
tongue takes is also
a clue to our body’s
inner workings.”
DECEmBEr 4-10, 2011
HEALTH 23
ASK THE
EXPERT
DR SANjAY
PARASHAR
spECIAlIsT plAsTIC
surgEon
CoCoonA.AE
Taking action
against acne
Acne is a skin condition where
small cysts are formed under
the skin that are infected
with a bacterium called
Propionibacterium acnes. Acne
most commonly occurs for many
people on the face, but it can also
affect the back, chest and arms. It
is primarily caused by increased
activity of the
“Acne most
commonly
occurs
for many
people on
the face,
but it can
also affect
the back,
chest and
arms.”
skin’s oil glands
due to hormonal
changes
throughout
the adolescent
stage of life,
although there
can be other
contributing
factors ranging
from ones such
as genetics,
nutrition, or skin
type, for example.
To prevent acne and reduce the
scarring which can result from
the rupture of acne, a regular
skin healthcare programme
provided by a specialist is
important. It routinely involves
the safe extraction of blackheads
and whiteheads, or the use of
topical treatments such as Alpha
Hydroxy—an acid solution that
reduces activity of the oil glands
and has an antibacterial property.
Isolaz laser is also a good device
for deep cleansing of skin and to
reduce the activity of oil glands,
but this obviously needs to be
performed by an expert.
The scars that quite often
occur when acne ruptures can
vary, from shallow craters, ice
pick marks to punched out scars.
The treatments available for acne
scarring always depend upon
the severity of the scars, but
treatments range from chemical
peeling, fractionated CO2 laser
or surgical dermabrasion to
subcision and filler injections.
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