Fissured Tongue, otherwise known as Cracked Tongue, calls for concern. Why is my tongue cracking? Do cracks in the tongue indicate disease? What specialized tests should be performed? Do the furrows on the tongue make it necessary to take special care of oral hygiene? The question is answered .

The appearance of your tongue is indicative of your health. What diseases can be read from the appearance of the tongue?

The appearance of your tongue tells you how well you are. While in classical medicine diagnosing diseases based on the appearance of the tongue is not common, in Chinese medicine the appearance of the tongue is the basis for diagnosing many diseases. So let’s look at the tongue – preferably in the morning, before eating or brushing your teeth, in daylight. What diseases can be read from the appearance of the tongue?

The tongueis a strong and sensitive muscle that enables you to speak, swallow, and enjoy food and drink.The appearance of your tonguecan tell you a lot about your health. When it is pink, springy and moist, it is a sign of good health. But when we get sick, his appearance changes.When does the appearance of the tongue indicate a disease?

Tongue through the eye of a doctor

• Red spots, redness of the tip of the tongue may indicate a deficiency of B vitamins.
• An intensely red tongue may indicate problems with the gallbladder.
• Pale gray can speak of a lack of iron and the onset of anemia.
• People with circulatory disorders (as a result of hypoxia in the body) have blue eyes.
• Dry, with numerous small cracks, is often a symptom of diabetes.
• The rough surface of the tongue with an even white coating occurs during a bacterial infection (e.g. angina).
• A white, lumpy bloom indicates a yeast infection.
• Gray coating and the presence of vesicles indicate inflammation caused by the herpes virus.

Chinese language map

There is a language map in traditional Chinese medicine. When assessing the appearance of the tongue, attention is paid to the surface, color and size.

Chinese language map – language surface

• A cracked tongue means that there is not enough fluid in the cells and the blood is too thick, which may indicate a risk of stroke or thrombosis.
• A deep furrow in the center of the tongue may be a symptom of hyperacidity.
• A tongue with irregular bright and red fields (so-called geographic), devoid of warts in places, may indicate oral fungal infections, avitaminosis. It also occurs in people with allergies, vitiligo andpsoriasis.

Chinese language map – language color

• A strong red tongue may be the result of an organism congestion or vitamin deficiency.
• The red center of the tongue is experienced by people who eat poorly, are prone to obesity or are trying to lose excess weight. It can also be a sign of excessive stress.
• The intensely red tip of the tongue occurs in neurotic people suffering from insomnia. If, in addition, the tongue is swollen, there may be a risk of arterial hypertension andcoronary artery disease.
• The red tinge of the edges of the tongue indicates that the liver is not working properly.
• Pale, even white tongue means anemia or a weakenedheart.
• Black discoloration of the tongue (regardless of its location, although it is often seen at the root) always indicates renal dysfunction.

Chinese language map – air raid

• White, slightly thicker than normal, appears in the fall, and the tongue is also drier then. Means supercooling of the body associated with a slower metabolism.
• Yellow indicates that the body is overheating. It occurs in summer and when we use hot spices or drink too much coffee. It may also be a symptom of gastric ulcer.
• Brown is often seen by smokers. It means problems with the respiratory system, which results in hypoxia in the body.
• A greenish, thick coating in the liver zone indicates a weakening of this organ. Additionally, there may also be thickening and pustules.
• Changing the shade from dark to lighter occurs after illness and indicates recovery.

Chinese language map – language size

• A large, swollen tongue (it touches the corners of the mouth) may indicate problems with the heart, spleen, kidneys, and the development of anemia. It can also mean a tendency to gain weight, swelling, and excessive nervousness.
• A small tongue (it does not touch the corners of the mouth when it is extended) speaks of a reduced immunity (which happens, for example, after an illness) or a deficiency of vitamins and minerals due to a poor diet.

Tongue – the sensitivity of the taste buds

There are warts on the surface of the tongue, in which there are thousands of taste buds that allow us to distinguish four basic tastes: salty, sweet, bitter and sour. The taste buds are used up after about a week, and then they are replaced with new ones.

After the age of 45, this process is not as fast anymore, therefore the ability to distinguish tastes noticeably decreases with age. But we also lose taste during a cold, for example, because the sense of taste depends on the sense of smell. Loss of taste bud sensitivity may also be a symptom of a bacterial infection in the gastrointestinal tract or a weakening of the pancreas.

Drugs and the appearance of the tongue

Taking medications can affect the appearance of the tongue. Some antibiotics damage the nipples, resulting in a lack of taste and lack of appetite. The steroids make the tongue red and swollen, the dehydrating drugs make it furrowed and varnished. After anti-inflammatory and painkillers, red spots may appear on it.

What does a cracked tongue indicate?

Hello. I am 49 years old and have a question about anatomy, language to be exact. I have noticed that there have been cracks on my tongue for some time. What doesa cracked tongueshow ? I don’t have any disease, or at least I don’t know anything about it, I don’t take medications permanently, only vitamins and supplements, and I don’t have any other symptoms, so I’m starting to wonder why my tongue is cracked. I would like to point out that these furrows on the tongue are on the front and sides, I don’t feel any pain or burning sensation, even when I rinse my mouth with mouthwash.

Should I do any specialized tests, maybe an oral swab or a tongue swab.I am also wondering if, given such anatomy and appearance of the tongue, I have to take special care of the oral cavity and tongue hygiene, I noticed that after a meal food residues accumulate inthe grooves on the tongue, these are of course particles, but in my opinion it is unhygienic. Does a cracked tongue qualify for a visit to a doctor, if so, to what date, whether I should go to a dentist, surgeon or a visit to a general practitioner is enough. Please reply.

The doctor advises on how to deal with furrows on the tongue

Correctly, the tongue is pink and red, has a moist and thin surface, preserved mobility in all directions. On the back of the tongue, there are warts that have a mechanical and sensory (taste) function. Some of them havetaste buds.

The largest are the circumferential nipples located on the border of the base of the tongue. There areleafy papillaeon the posterior-posterior part of the tongue . On the surface of the tongue we can also find mushroom warts. Thread-like warts are the only ones devoid of the ability to perceive flavors.

A tongue with a cracked surfaceand numerous fissures on the back is called scrotal, truncated or furrowed. The size and number of the furrows may vary from patient to patient. It is often a developmental change treated as one of the anatomical variants.

When it is not associated with any disease, it does not require medical intervention. This change promotes the accumulation of food in the furrows and can lead to inflammation in the event of inadequate oral hygiene. It is recommended to gently brush the surface of the tongue in order to get food debris from the gaps in the tongue and to prevent bacterial colonization. Sometimes the natural furrows on the tongue may enlarge with age, in smokers, strong tea drinkers, and in some conditions such asSjögren’s syndrome,psoriasis. There has also been an association between the presence of the scrotal tongue andDown’s syndromeand Rosenthal’s Melkersson’s syndrome (a rare neurological syndrome caused by recurrent vasculitis).

The scrotal tonguemay coexist with a geographic language that resembles a map with irregularly distributed red, wartless spots well demarcated from the whitish surfaces of the normal mucosa. It can run in the family. There is a correlation between the occurrence of geographical language and certain immunological diseases, with nutritional deficiencies, psychosomatic disorders or with irritating factors. A tongue with furrows on its surface may be the norm in some people. Sometimes, however, it is associated with some diseases.

I suggest you go to the GP, who, after collecting a full history and examining the patient, will make a decision as to what to do next.