The Tongue

As the largest organ in the oral cavity, the tongue not only plays a primary role in masticatory and speech function—it is also a significant indicator of health, demonstrating signs of both oral pathologies and diseases that can affect the entire body. Because no health care provider gets the opportunity to examine a patient's tongue as often as the dentist, it is essential for dentists to recognize when there may be a problem with the tongue and what the problem is. In addition to an over...