what causes tongue sores? A clear focus on the sores on tongue, pictures, white sores at the tip, back, that are caused by the std, canker, sore throat and how to get rid of the sores.
sores on tongue
Sores on Tongue
Though normally hailed as the strongest muscle that is found in the body, the tongue is made up of a group of muscles that will allow us to taste the food, swallow, and even talk. A healthy tongue is usually pink and covered with very small nodules known as papillae.
Because an individual use the tongue constantly, it may be very frustrating and even uncomfortable when you have sores on tongue, including the discoloration and soreness. There are a several number of causes for the common tongue symptoms. Fortunately, the majority of this are not serious and most might be resolved quickly.
In some other cases, though, a discolored or a painful tongue may indicate a more serious conditions, including the vitamin deficiencies, AIDS, or the oral cancer. For this given reason, it is crucial to seek medical advice if you have an ongoing problem with the tongue.
Possible symptoms that you may have related to the tongue include:
- a partial or complete loss of taste or the changes in the ability to taste sour, salty or sweet flavors
- difficulty moving the tongue
- the tongue swelling
- a change from the normal color of the tongue or the patches of color that are bright pink, black, or brown
- pain either all over the tongue or even only in certain areas
- a burning sensation either all over the tongue or only in some spots
- white or red patches, which are usually painful
- a furry or the hairy appearance of the tongue
The specific symptoms that you’re experiencing will help the doctor to identify the cause of the tongue problem.
A burning sensation on the tongue can happen in women who are postmenopausal. It can also happen due to exposure to the irritants, such as the cigarette smoke.
A bright pink color on the tongue is the most often due to the deficiency in the iron, folic acid, or vitamin B-12. An allergic reaction to gluten may also lead to this.
A white tongue is normally as a result of smoking, drinking alcohol or just poor oral hygiene. White lines or bumps can be an inflammation known as oral lichen planus. People normally think this occurs due to the abnormal immune response that can occur from the underlying condition, such as the hepatitis C or allergies.
If the tongue appears to be furry or even hairy, it’s most likely brought about by a course of antibiotics. Radiation to the head or neck might also lead to this symptom. It may also develop if you consume too much of an irritating substance, like the coffee or mouthwash, or when you smoke.
Tongue pain normally happens due to an injury or infection. If you bite the tongue, you can develop sores on tongue that can last for several days and be very much painful. A minor infection on the tongue isn’t in any way uncommon, and it can lead to pain and irritation. Inflamed papillae, or the taste buds, are very small, painful bumps that appear after the injury from a bite or an irritation from hot foods.
When a tongue swells very suddenly, the likely reason is usually an allergic reaction. This may lead to difficulty breathing. Difficulty breathing due to the tongue swelling is a medical emergency. If this happens, you should get medical help right away.
Sores on Side of Tongue
sores on side of tongue
sores on tongue is normally brought about by something obvious and visible, although there are a few less obvious causes that you should be aware of that might require treating.
If the pain is much persistent and you haven’t accidentally bitten or even burnt the tongue, see the doctor or dentist. There might be an underlying problem that requires treating, and the doctor or dentist may be able to advise you about pain relief while you wait for it to get better.
Geographic tongue is a very common condition that leads to an irregular red patches that is surrounded by white lines to develop on the tongue, thus giving it a map-like appearance. In some other people, the red patches can feel sore or sensitive to certain foods and drinks.
You can also notice that after a few number of days, weeks or even months the position of the lines and patches change. They can disappear and then re-appear later on a different part of the tongue.
Some people find that the condition improves over time, while to others it may be persistent. See the dentist if you have persistent discolored or painful patches on the tongue.
It’s not clear exactly what leads to the geographic tongue and there is no specific treatment for it, but a person can be able to manage the pain by taking of the over-the-counter painkillers (speak to the pharmacist for an advice) and avoiding of anything that makes it much worse, such as the acidic, spicy or hot foods.
Fungiform papillae are the small bumps that are located on the top and sides of the tongue. They’re the same color as the rest of the tongue and, under very normal circumstances, are much unnoticeable. They give the tongue a rough texture, which assists you eat. They also have taste buds and temperature sensors.
Papillae may also become enlarged for a varied number of reasons. Most of the time, the reasons aren’t serious. See the doctor if the bumps are much persistent, are growing or even spreading, or are making it very hard to eat.
About half of the world population have lie bumps at a point. These little white or red bumps form when the papillae are irritated and slightly swollen. It’s not always clear why the case occurs, but it may be related to hormones, or particular foods. Although they may be uncomfortable, lie bumps aren’t serious and normally clear up without any treatment and within very few days. However, the bumps may recur.
Eruptive lingual papillitis is the most common among the children and is more likely contagious. It might be accompanied by the fever and the swollen glands. It is sometimes related to a viral infection. It generally doesn’t need treatment and clears up within about two weeks, but it may recur. Saltwater rinses or cold, smooth foods can provide some relief.
Sores on Tongue std
white sores on tongue
Oral thrush is an infection in the mouth brought about by a fungus, which might lead to sores on tongue or white tongue and the areas of soreness.
A person is more likely to develop oral thrush if:
- has recently taken antibiotics
- has poor oral hygiene
- wear dentures particularly if they don’t fit properly
- have a weakened immune system
- have diabetes
You should see the doctor if you think you have an oral thrush. If it is left untreated, the symptoms will persist and the mouth will continue to be much uncomfortable.
Oral thrush is treated using antifungal medicines taken for around one week. These usually come in the form of gels or liquid that you apply directly inside the mouth, although tablets or capsules are sometimes used.
Syphilis is a sexually transmitted infection. It normally starts with a small, painless sore that’s very easy to dismiss. The initial sore is then followed by a rash.
More sores on tongue disappear as the disease progresses. In the early stages, syphilis is much easily treated using antibiotics. During the secondary stages, sores can appear in the mouth and on the tongue. The sores can lead to very serious complications, or even death, if left untreated.
Sores on Tip of Tongue
Fungiform papillae is one of the special types of bumps that are found on the surface of the tongue. Fungiform papillae have taste buds (especially for the bitter taste), temperature receptors and normally have a good blood supply.
They are scattered over the top and sides of the tongue, mainly towards the tip. Usually they are not obvious, being flat or pink.
The classic form of transient lingual papillitis presents as a single painful raised red or white bump on the tongue, usually towards the tip. It can last to about 2 days then disappears, often recurring weeks, months or even years later.
There is no associated illness or even lymph gland enlargement. Less commonly the lesions are very numerous, can disappear within hours or even last several days, or can be associated with the burning or the tingling sensation. Uncommonly the lesion(s) may not cause any symptoms.
White Sores on Tongue
White sores might happen anywhere inside the oral cavity, including the inner surface of the lips as well as the cheeks, base of the gums, or even the soft palate. They are much related to a number of triggers like the chewing on the cheeks, emotional stress, underlying disorders, and food sensitivities. Some people experience these painful lesions a few times throughout life, while others have chronic breakouts that require an investigation into their underlying cause.
Most people agree that the tongue is the worst place in the mouth to develop the white sores on tongue. The tongue sees a lot of action, carrying out a majority of work in the mouth by sensing taste, directing food, and even receiving sensations of touch. A sore on the tongue makes doing any of these things very difficult. A lesion might develop on the tongue for a variety of reasons, some of which are very avoidable, while others are not. Here are a few causes:
The Breath toothpaste does not make use of sodium lauryl sulfate, a harsh detergent known to instigate white sores.
- Acidic, spicy foods
- Changes in hormonal balance
- A lack of vitamin B-12, iron, and folic acid in the diet
- Injury to the tongue from biting, chewing, etc.
White tongue is the result of the overgrowth and the swelling of the fingerlike projections (known as the papillae) on the surface of the tongue. The appearance of the white coating is brought about by debris, bacteria and the dead cells getting lodged between the enlarged and sometimes the inflamed papillae.
Sores on Back of Tongue
sores on back of tongue
Aphthous mouth ulcers are the painful sores on tongue that can happen anywhere within the mouth and are very common on the back of the tongue.
Most of the mouth ulcers are brought about by damage to the mouth, such as from accidentally biting the tongue or even eating something hard and sharp.
Ulcers that keep recurring have been linked to the things such as stress, hormone changes, certain foods and stopping smoking.
Most mouth ulcers heal within a week or even two and you may be able to manage the pain in the meantime by taking of the over-the-counter painkillers and also avoiding of anything that worsens it, such as the spicy foods.
See your doctor if you have an ulcer that doesn’t improve within a few weeks or if you develop ulcers regularly.
Canker Sores on Tongue
canker sores on tongue
A canker sore is another common cause of the pain on or under the tongue. This is a very small, white or yellow sore that can happen for no good reason. Canker sores on tongue, unlike cold sores, don’t happen due to the herpes virus.
Some possible causes are the mouth injuries, abrasive ingredients in the toothpastes or the mouthwashes, food allergies or even nutritional deficiencies. In most of the cases, the cause of the canker sore is not established and referred to as the aphthous ulcer. These sores usually go away without any treatment.
If you have a canker sore or sores on tongue that happens due to the mouth injury, you should do the following:
- Avoid hot and even the spicy foods.
- Try to drink only the cold beverages and eat only bland, soft foods until the sore has completely healed.
- You can also try oral pain treatments.
- You can rinse the mouth with warm saltwater or a mixture of warm water and the baking soda.
- You can ice the sore.
Sores on Tongue and Sore Throat
A number of different conditions can lead to pain or the presence of abnormalities, ulcers, or the sores on the tongue as well as the symptoms like pain, swelling, or burning of the tongue. Problems that are associated with the tongue may result from infections, tumors, chronic medical conditions, trauma, or toxins.
Inflammation of the tongue is medically called glossitis. Pain in the tongue is known as glossodynia. Inflammation can happen on the sides of the tongue, the tip of the tongue, on the back of the tongue, or even throughout the tongue.
Because sores on tongue or even painful lesions on the tongue might have a wide variety of causes, treatment and the outlook depend upon the particular condition that is very responsible. Depending upon the exact cause, other symptoms and the conditions can be related to a sore tongue, that includes;
- dehydration,
- dry mouth,
- thrush (Candida infection of mouth).
Inflammation of the tongue may also lead to the damage of the taste buds, the tiny sensors on the surface of the tongue. Some of the very common causes of sore or painful tongue are the canker sores, cold sores and burns.
In some other cases, pain that normally originates in other sources (such as cardiac angina or problems with the teeth and/or jaws) can be experienced in the tongue, even though the tongue itself is very normal.
How to Get Rid of Sores on Tongue
You should make an appointment to see the doctor for proper diagnosis and treatment if the tongue problem is much severe, unexplained, or also persists for several other days with no signs of improvement
If the doctor isn’t able to make the diagnosis based on the exam and even the answers to the questions, they may order some other tests. Most likely, the doctor will want to take a sample of blood to test for or rule out various disorders that might be causing the tongue issues. Once you have the diagnosis, the doctor might recommend treatments for the specific problem.
Tongue blisters also form due to an injury like suddenly biting the tongue with the teeth, scalding the tongue accidentally and grinding the teeth.
Other causes include food allergies, canker sores, burning tongue syndrome, enlarged papillae and certain medical conditions like diabetes and oral cancer.
sores under tongue
Excessive smoking, vitamin B deficiency, eating of too much fatty foods, side effects of some medication and use of some chemical-based mouthwashes might also lead to this problem.
Tongue sores on tongue can be yellow or white, surrounded by the reddened area. The pain and the inflammation that are associated with tongue blisters can make anyone to feel irritated. Plus, the blisters may make it difficult to eat food properly.
In general, tongue blisters last for about one week and go away on their own. However, you may try some natural remedies to assist to alleviate the pain and inflammation. Some remedies also promote faster healing.
- Ice
Ice has a numbing effect that can give you soothing and immediate relief from the pain. Along with the pain, ice might also reduce the swelling and inflammation, two common symptoms of the tongue blisters.
- Hold of the ice chips or cubes directly on the blisters or rub the ice cube on them until they become numb.
- Alternatively, you might take sips of ice cold water from time to time to get relief from the pain.
- Baking Soda
For treating of the tongue blisters, baking soda is also effective. It contains anti-inflammatory properties that assists to soothe sores on tongue and inflammation. It is very good when dealing with the tongue blisters that are caused by canker sores. Plus, it assists to restore the pH balance in the mouth.
- Add 1 teaspoon of baking soda to a cup of warm water. Swish the solution around the tongue and the mouth for a few minutes and then spit it out.
- You can also prepare a paste using 1 teaspoon of baking soda and a little water. Apply it on the blisters, let it sit for a few minutes and then rinse the mouth using lukewarm water.
Use either of the remedies 3 or 4 times daily until you get rid of the problem.
- Hydrogen Peroxide
Hydrogen peroxide may assist treat blisters caused by canker sores. It contains a strong antibacterial and disinfectant properties that assist to kill bacteria as well as reduce the risk of infection. Use about 3 percent hydrogen peroxide.
- Mix equal amounts of hydrogen peroxide and warm water.
- Apply it on the blisters using a clean cotton swab.
- Leave it on for about 5 minutes and then rinse the mouth using warm water.
- Do this a few times a day.
Be careful with the amount you are applying as only a small amount will do.
- Turmeric
Turmeric contains antiseptic properties that may assist to relieve the sores on tongue and inflammation that is caused by tongue blisters.
- Mix about 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric powder with about 1 tablespoon of honey. Apply the paste on the blisters with your finger and leave it on for at least 3 minutes. Rinse it off using warm water. Do this about 3 or 4 times daily for a few days.
- Alternatively, add 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric powder to a glass of warm milk. Drink it once daily to promote healing.
- Aloe Vera
Aloe vera is recommended for treating tongue blisters due to its natural healing and antibacterial properties. Aloe vera may speed up the healing sores on tongue and also reduce the pain and inflammation.
- Cut an aloe vera leaf to extract the gel.
- Apply this gel on the blisters and leave it on for 5 minutes.
- Rinse your mouth with lukewarm water.
- Repeat several times a day for about 3 to 4 days.
Further references;
- Tongue Problems: http://www.healthline.com/health/tongue-problems-2#Overview1
- Sore or painful tongue: http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/tongue-pain/Pages/Introduction.aspx
- Oral Care: http://www.webmd.com/oral-health/guide/tongue-problem-basics-sore-or-discolored-tongue-and-tongue-bumps?page=3
- Tongue Bumps: Enlarged Papillae and Other Problems: http://www.healthline.com/health/dental-and-oral-health/tongue-bumps
