What Your Tongue Says About Your Health

An indicator of good health

A basic concept of nutritional dentistry is that the mouth is an indicator of the state of the body.

The color of the tongue should be a major factor in oral diagnosis. Oriental medicine recognizes many different pathologies based on tongue color.

The tongue is the most visible internal organ with a very high metabolic rate, the topmost epithelial layer being replaced every few days. This high metabolic rate coupled with the highly vascularized tissue allows malnutrition and pathological states to show up quickly, resulting in a rapid color change of the tongue. This is why whenever you get a cold or the flu your tongue turns white. Lack of nutrients such as Vitamin B, C, zinc and iron all cause oxidation or a change in the cells. The taste cells will change and patients will report a “metallic taste” this means something’s wrong. Further questioning can lead to a variety of conditions.

So what does this mean? It means that whatever is going on in your mouth is just a symptom of what is happening in the rest of your body. For example take a look at your tongue. What color is it? Does it have a coating? Is the coating thick or thin? Ever have a cold? Or go on a detox program? You will notice that your tongue turns white because toxins are being released throughout your body. If your tongue is yellowish or yellow-green its usually a sign of liver-gallbladder problems. If the color is gray or grayish brown it can be stomach or intestinal problems, if the tip of your tongue is red you could have heart or thyroid issues.

The thicker the coating the longer you have had this problem. If the sides of your tongue are scalloped your have mineral deficiencies and if the top of your tongue is cracked, it could be caused by vitamin deficiencies. So just by looking at your tongue you can find out a lot about your health 

A healthy tongue should be vibrant; pale red, fresh looking should look “alive” not dull. Body should be supple not stiff, without cracks, and slightly moist. A slightly white coating should be thin and slightly thicker on the root. This coating is part of the digestive process 

If there are no medical problems that preclude treatment, an effective method of starting back on the road to health would be to drink more water. Most people are dehydrated and should be drinking 8-10 glasses of water every day. The more water you drink the better you'll feel. So drink a lot at every meal. Once you have come close to this goal there will be a difference in your general state of health. At that point, a simple general cleanse could be started.

A liver flush is an example of this type of cleansing:

• 2 tablespoons of cold pressed olive oil
• 2 small or one large lemon, juiced
• 1 or 2 grapefruits, juiced
• 1 to 4 cloves of garlic
• Dash of cayenne pepper 

Place all ingredients in a blender until well mixed, and then drink. This should be followed by a glass of herbal tea or water. All caffeine drinks should be stopped during this time. A diet that beneficial to the cleansing process would be one composed primarily of vegetables.

Here is an example of a detoxification diet:

Morning:

Liver flush

Mid-morning:

Eat a grapefruit or have a glass of fruit or vegetable juice

Lunch:

Fresh fruit or vegetable salad. Do not mix.

Cold-pressed oil, lemons or other citrus fruits or herbs as dressings.

Mid-afternoon:

Sprout snack (sprouts with tomatoes, onion, avocado, tamari sauce, olive oil or lemons).

Dinner:

Fruit or vegetable salad and/or baked or steamed vegetables. Try to keep this meal smaller than lunch

After Dinner:

Fruit or vegetable juice

The following supplements should be taken during the detoxification period to help invigorate the liver.

• Choline 1 g per day
• Essential Fatty Acids- oil capsules, twice per day
• L-carnitine, 500mg, twice per day
• Milk thistle, 70-200mg, three times per day
• L-methionine, 1g per day
• Liver extracts, 500mg, three times per day
• Selenium, 200mcg per day
• Stinging nettle 600mg twice per day 

 

To learn more, go to: www.NatDent.com

 

References

Vasant L. Ayurveda: The Science of Self-Healing. Lotus Press. 1984:59-66. Beijing College of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Chinese Medical Tongue Diagnosis. Beijing, Peoples Republic of China: Peoples Enterprise inc.1997 Publishing House. 1976.

D.W.Beaven, S Brooks- “A Color Atlas of the Tongue in Clinical Diagnosis” Wolfe Med Pub 1988

Zeines V. DDS The Bodies Early Warning System. Manhasset, N.Y.: Eastern Holistic Health Association. 1982:5.

Maciocia Giovanni “Tongue Diagnosis in Chinese Medicine Revised” Eastland Press 1987 .

Chi Tsu-Tsair “Dr Chi’s Method of Fingernail and Tongue Diagnosis

Zeines V. DDS Nutrition eases dental problems. Nutri Consult. May/June 1980:8-10

Damond H, Diamond M. Fit for Life Living Health. Warner Books. 1987:36-40.

Zeines Victor DDS “Healthy Mouth, Healthy Body” Kensington Health 2000

Page Linda N.D.,Ph.D. “Healthy Healing” Healthy-Healing Pub 10th ed 1997