What You Need to Know about Covid Tongue

Amid the global coronavirus pandemic, most people are aware of the most common symptoms associated with the COVID-19 infection. However, since this is a new disease and scientists are still learning about how it works, symptoms that were not previously seen are still coming to light. One of the most recent symptoms that is thought to be associated with a COVID-19 infection is “COVID tongue.” What is it, and why do researchers think we are seeing this symptom associated with a coronavirus infection?

What Is COVID Tongue?

The most recent in a list of less common symptoms associated with COVID-19 is known as COVID tongue by researchers. A British researcher named Tim Spector, a professor of genetic epidemiology at King’s College London, reported numerous cases of patients complaining of tongue enlargement, discoloration, and a variety of other mouth issues. COVID tongue can include a scalloped tongue (rippled or wavy indentations along the side of the tongue) and a white or yellow “furry coating” on the tongue that cannot be brushed off. Some patients have also experienced strange mouth ulcers and increased problems with their teeth, including dental issues. A few patients have noted gray or chipping teeth, oversensitive gums, and even teeth that have fallen out as a result of a COVID-19 infection. This is likely a result of the sensitivity of the gums and mouth in general due to an overabundance of inflammation in the body, which people experience quite frequently with long-term coronavirus infections.

Unusual Symptoms

Researchers looking at COVID symptoms, including Tim Spector, who works with the ZOE COVID Symptoms Study (collecting symptoms from British citizens through an app), noted that people should pay attention to all types of unusual symptoms, even if they believe they’re not associated with COVID-19. More unusual symptoms can appear in about one out of every five COVID patients, and they cover everything from COVID tongue and unusual back pain to neurological symptoms such as brain fog and difficulty concentrating or remembering things. It is also important to note that physicians and dentists keep these unusual symptoms in mind when working with patients. Even if a patient does not experience the most common symptoms associated with COVID, they could still have an infection and pass it on to others around them. Physicians have stated that any unusual symptom, or even simple fatigue or a headache, could be a sign of a COVID-19 infection and recommend that people stay at home just to be safe.