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I have a burning sensation on my tongue. It is gray on the sides and red in the middle. I have two dentures and implants in my lower jaw. I use a tongue scraper, rinse with Corsodyl, brush with Parodontax and for the prostheses I use Ecosym. But that doesn’t really help. Do you know a solution?
woman (67 years)
Joris Bartstra, journalist with medical diploma
This is similar to canker sores. These are also inflammations that arise suddenly and for which it is unclear why. An irritated mouth is self-perpetuating: you move your tongue more, which maintains the irritation. Bee canker sores it is advised not to use toothpaste with sodium laurel sulphate (which is in many brands of toothpaste), but to brush with Zendium.
Lack of zinc could play a role, but that has not yet been proven. The white edges indicate that the cells of the tongue are growing faster than they are wearing down. Eating more raw foods, such as raw carrots and apples, can “sharpen” your tongue.
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