This study will be conducted to study the prevalence , distribution and severity of tongue coating according to the proposed classification of Tongue Coating Severity Index.

A total of 200 periodontally and systemically healthy patients with age range of 20-60 years including both male and female visiting the Department of Periodontics and implantology at VSPM Dental College and research centre Nagpur will be recruited.

A brief description of entire procedure will be given to every patient before starting procedure.

Patients will be assessed clinically and a standardised digital photograph of the dorsal surface will be taken with the tongue protruded from the oral cavity. The dorsal surface of the tongue photograph then will be marked and divided into three equal areas of anterior, middle and posterior sections as mentioned in the classification which is given as under.

Considering the limitations in the currently available indices for evaluation of tongue coating indices, we propose a simplistic method of evaluation of the same. The simple method ensures that the examiner will be easily able to calculate the tongue coating severity index in less time. This will also enable the utilisation of this scoring system on a larger population. Accordingly, the dorsal surface or the tongue will be divided into three equal parts antero-posteriorly. The surface coatings present in each of these parts will be calculated separately and then the scores of all the three parts will be added.