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Posted on 7/20/2019 by Thomas Mahar |
 When people think about what they need to know about their oral health, they usually talk about their teeth and gums. There is another part of their oral health that they should also consider. The tongue plays a role in how healthy your teeth and gums are. It is not something to ignore when it comes to good oral hygiene habits. Some people deal with a fissured tongue. They need to learn what it is and how it affects their oral health. What is It? Like the name sounds, a fissured tongue has a long, deep and very noticeable groove along the surface of the tongue. A normal tongue in comparison is relatively flat. It is possible to have more than one fissures on a tongue. They can come in different sizes and depths. It is a benign condition. Fissured tongues can be seen at birth or they may develop later on throughout childhood. There is not a known cause, although it could result from another condition a person has such as Down's syndrome. It is more common for men to have a fissured tongue than women. It is also thought to run in families and could be a genetic condition. As people grow older, they may notice more fissures forming. Treatment or No Treatment The symptoms of a fissured tongue are visual. It is something we will notice during examinations. Once the diagnosis is made, the thoughts turn to treatment. It is not necessary to treat a fissured tongue. It is something that you can live with, but it is also a place that does require a little extra care. The fissures are a place that debris can get stuck in. It is important to take care when cleaning the teeth and gums to make sure the fissures are also cleaned. If the area of the fissures is not properly cleaned, bacteria and plaque can grow, which can lead to issues with bad breath and tooth decay. People worry when they hear terms like fissured tongues, but they are not something that can cause problems and do not require any special treatment. For more information about this and any other health issue, contact our office to schedule an appointment. |
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