Pennington Family Dentistry

Regarded as the strongest muscle in the body, your tongue is responsible for tasting, swallowing and talking. Ideally your tongue should be pink and swathed with small nodules. If youre experiencing tongue problems, the color and texture may change. In addition to discoloration, you may experience soreness and loss of sense of taste. Luckily, most tongue problems are not serious and will go away in a couple of days.

Wondering why tongue problems happen? Pain, swelling and discoloration may happen if you accidentally bit your tongue, ate or drank something too hot or too cold or are deficient in certain vitamins. On the other hand, it may also be indicative of a serious condition such as oral cancer or AIDS. If youre not sure what caused your tongue problems and it has been ongoing for a longer period than normal, it is important that you seek medical help.

If you notice a white-colored coating or spots on your tongue, it may be indicative of leukoplakia, oral thrush or oral lichen planus.

Leukoplakia develops when the tongue is irritated, causing excessive cell growth in the mouth. While not a life-threatening disorder, it can be a precursor to cancer. This oral condition is common in people who frequently use tobacco products.

Oral thrush is an oral yeast infection, manifesting in the formation of white patches with texture similar to cottage cheese, occurring in the mouth. This usually affects infants and elderly people with dentures. To restore normalcy, yogurt with live cultures can help.

Lastly, oral lichen planus appears as lace-like white lines on the tongue. With dental hygiene, you avoid this oral condition. Cutting back on food that causes irritation in the mouth as well as tobacco use can also help.

If you have a strawberry-red tongue, it may indicate deficiency of vitamin B-12 and folic acid. This may also accompany high fever.

Ever experienced a black hairy tongue? When the small bumps on the tongue grow excessively long and become worn, they harbor bacteria. Poor oral hygiene can result in a dark color. Also, people undergoing chemotherapy or receiving antibiotics are also likely to have this condition. Its nothing serious, though.

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Patient Reviews

I wished I had tried this dentist office sooner. Everyone there are very professional and knowledgeable. I was looking for a new dentist and I found Dr. Ana and I could not be more satisfied. My confidence in her was well placed. I would hope that every dentist was this good. I had a problem with my teeth for awhile. Two others dentists did not mention it to me but she was able to see what my problem was right away. It is now fixed and I couldn’t be more pleased with the work she did.

Dr. Ana is a fabulous dentist. Recently I had extensive dental work on my front teeth. Prior to the start of work she took an impression and made a temporary piece that looked natural. I am extremely happy with the final result. She is meticulous and caring, a great combination. The office staff is professional and courteous. I have been a patient at Pennington Family Dentistry for over 30 years.

Great staff! Been here a couple times already and they are efficient and they take the time to get to know you. Spent years in a large practice before this but never got that personal experience you want with a doctor or dentist. Would highly recommend this practice.

Professional friendly staff. Always feel comfortable and welcomed here. Dr. Bernie treat patients with attentive care and respect. Michele is so helpful and kind. Charissa is the best hygienist and her injections are the least painful ever.

I have been a patient of Pennington Family Dentistry for over 40 years and cannot say enough complimentary things about the professionalism of the entire staff. From the front desk to the hygienist to the doctors, each delivers superb and comfortable care. I highly recommend PFD to all those who seek dental care.

My wife and I have each visited PFD several times now, and we both have been consistently impressed with each of the staff, who have all been very friendly, knowledgeable and thorough.

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