Traditionally, doctors and dentists have depended on the tongue to help them diagnose various diseases. And tongues do have a lot to say. For example, scarlet fever is accompanied by a spotted “strawberry” tongue.
Burning tongue, a very painful condition, affects primarily post-menopausal women and can reflect systemic problems.
Hairy leukoplakia is a common AIDS-related oral lesion. And candidiasis, a fungus infection which coats the tongue white, also says something is wrong.
Now you know why, when you’re asked to stick out your tongue and say…Ahhhhh…
About Yuri Kaneda, DDS
Dr. Yuri Kaneda was born in Japan and immigrated to the US when she was 4 years old with her family. She lived in Ohio, Nebraska, and Illinois before finally settling in the San Diego area. A graduate of Bonita Vista High School, she went on to the University of California Berkeley where she obtained her Bachelors in Microbiology and Immunology. After working for 2 years in growth plate research at University of California San Diego, she went to the University of California San Francisco Dental School for her Doctor of Dental Surgery degree. Upon graduation, she returned to San Diego where she worked as an associate in the practice of Drs. Morimoto and Yaryan, her childhood dentist. She then started her own practice in 1995 and has been at her present location since 1999 which happens to be across the street from her high school!
