What Do Tooth Marks on the Tongue Mean?
When you look at your tongue in the mirror, have you seen wavy, scalloped marks along its edges? These are marks left where your teeth press against the tongue.
This appearance is called a scalloped tongue or crenated tongue. So what does it tell us?
Why does it happen?
The main reason for tooth marks is that the tongue is wider or more swollen than normal inside the mouth and presses against the teeth.
According to today’s medicine, a scalloped tongue can have different causes. For example:
- A naturally wide tongue
- Conditions that make the tongue swell
- Pressing the tongue against the teeth during sleep or the day, or a teeth-clenching habit
- Breathing through the mouth and some sleep problems
- Some general health conditions
A scalloped tongue on its own does not point to a particular disease.
The traditional-medicine view
In Sina–Unani medicine and some schools of Eastern medicine, tooth marks on the edge of the tongue are considered together with other signs.
This appearance can be interpreted in terms of moisture, the state of digestion and the quality of the body’s functioning. For example, if the tooth marks come with:
- a moist, thick tongue coating,
- a feeling of heaviness,
- bloating and slow digestion,
- weakness,
the practitioner assesses it one way; seen on its own, another way.
The real question: what else is there?
When you notice tooth marks on your tongue, the most important question is:
What other signs come with it?
Ask yourself:
- Were the tooth marks always there, or are they new?
- Does the tongue feel swollen or heavy?
- Is there teeth clenching, snoring or breathing through the mouth?
- How is your digestion? Is there bloating or a feeling of heaviness?
- Is there tiredness, feeling cold or other general signs?
When should you see a doctor?
- If there is new, marked swelling of the tongue
- If the tongue is painful or makes swallowing or speaking difficult
- If it comes with snoring, pauses in breathing during sleep, or morning tiredness
- If the tooth marks come with general signs (excessive tiredness, weight change and so on)
Frequently asked questions
Are tooth marks on the tongue a disease? Not on their own. They can be seen in many people without any problem.
Does clenching your teeth leave marks on the tongue? Yes, night-time clenching and the habit of pressing the tongue against the teeth can leave marks.
Do tooth marks on the tongue go away? It depends on the cause. If the cause of the swelling goes, the marks can lessen.
Conclusion
Tooth marks on the tongue are an interesting sign, but they are not a diagnosis on their own. The accompanying signs determine their meaning.
For the other signs of the tongue and mouth, read Tongue and Mouth: A Mirror of Digestion and Inner Health.
If you want to learn the body’s sign language step by step, Dr Kalan’s “Elaim & Delail” book and the Body Signs online course (currently in Turkish) will guide you. To start with your own baseline, take the free temperament test.
This article is for information only and is based on traditional medical sources and general health knowledge. It is not a medical diagnosis, treatment or prescription and does not replace an examination by a doctor. If you have a health complaint, take regular medication, are pregnant, or are considering this for a child, consult your doctor before applying anything. Herbal products can interact with medicines.
