Association of tongue coating with life style and general disease

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the association of color and thickness of tongue coating with life style, digestive symptom, and general disease. Materials and Methods: Standardized photos of tongue were taken in 212 males (mean age 31.6±8.1) by digital camera. A questionnaire was used for evaluation of oral hygiene, diet, drinking, and smoking as life style; 22 items of digestive symptom; and 18 items of general disease. Color and thickness of tongue coating were assessed on computer display. Color of tongue coating was scored as 1 (white) or 2 (yellow or brown). Then, tongue was divided to nine sections and thickness was scored on a scale of 0-2 (0=no coating, 1=light-thin coating, 2=heavy coating). Total score of thickness was calculated as the Thickness Score (TS). Correlations of color and thickness of tongue coating with life style, digestive symptom, and general disease were assessed using χ²-test or fisher's exact probability test (p<0.05). Correlation of the TS with total number of items of digestive symptom and general disease was tested using Spearman rank test (p<0.05). Results: Color of tongue coating significantly correlated with drinking of coffee (P<0.001), presence of general disease (P<0.01), high blood pressure (P <0.05), stomach and intestine disease (P<0.05). Correlations of thickness with presence of digestive symptom (P<0.05) and heartburn (P<0.05) were also significant. TS were significantly correlated with total number of items of digestive symptom (P<0.05). Age was neither a significant factor of color nor thickness of tongue coating. Conclusion: These results indicated that color and thickness of tongue coating were associated with life-style, digestive symptom, and general disease and suggested that visible symptom on tongue coating could be of potential to behavior change for prevention of life style related disease.