Tongue Irritation
The Six Most Common Reasons for Tongue Irritation
Tongue irritation is something that most everyone has or will experience at least once in life. This could be something simple as accidentally biting down while chewing a piece of food or gum or it could be linked to some type of disease. Obviously, you would know if you bit down on your tongue, although this could occur during your sleep, but when tongue irritations appears for another reason, you should be checked by your doctor.
The following are six of the most common reasons for tongue irritation, which you could use as a guideline but of course, many additional causes exist.
1 - Traumatic Injury – Of all causes of tongue irritation, this is the most common. The tongue, which is actually a large muscle is made with lots of nerve ending so if you were to bite down accidentally, chew into something hard, or perhaps have a tooth break, the tongue could be injured, which would cause pain and swelling.
2 - Hairy Tongue – The name itself is disturbing but with this, projections on top of the tongue, also known as villi can grow larger than they should. When this happens, they actually take on an appearance of having hair so keep in mind, the name does not actually mean hair growing on the tongue. The development of this tongue irritation often follows a fever but treatment is easy with peroxide mouthwash or oral antibiotic. Now, there is a condition called Hairy Leukoplakia, which is associated with AIDS, not to be confused with “Hairiness” or “Hairy Tongue”.
3 - Nutrient Deficiency – Tongue irritation can also be associated with some type of nutrient deficiency. For instance, consider the following:
Iron Deficiency - When a person is low on iron, they become anemic, causing the tongue to become smooth and pale
Vitamin B12 Deficiency – In this case, the tongue would be smooth and pale as well, and sometimes sore.
Scarlet Fever – While rare, if the tongue were to turn to a scarlet red, this would be a concern
Kawasaki Disease – In small children, the tongue becoming bright red might be an indication of this particular disease
Pellagra – Caused by a niacin deficiency, this form of malnutrition would cause the tongue to become swollen, red, and painful
4 - Bumps and Sores – Another reason for tongue irritation would be bumps and sores that could be due to some kind of allergic reaction, as well as a viral or bacterial infection. Other potential causes would include the Herpes Simplex virus, cold or canker sores, immune system deficiencies or disorders, tuberculosis, and even the beginning of syphilis. In most cases, tongue irritation that includes bumps on both sides would be harmless but if a single bump forms, it could be the sign of cancer. Therefore, any lasting, odd placed or numbered bumps and/or sores should be looked at by your doctor.
5 - Burning Mouth Syndrome – In this case, the tongue irritation would be associated with this syndrome, which commonly affects women after going through menopause. The symptoms include a burning sensation and pain that might affect just the tongue or the entire mouth. Some women will have ongoing symptoms while others have sporadic sensations that can come and go with different intensities. Treatment for this tongue irritation is oral antibiotics and possibly and antifungal medication.
6 - Food Sensitivity – Finally, a tongue irritation might simply be a response to some type of food. For instance, if you eat something spicy, chili, Mexican food, or Cajun food, you might experience a reaction. However, even certain fruits to include strawberries, pineapple, and tomatoes, which are acidic, might cause a problem. In fact, certain types of gum and mouthwash can create tongue irritation so eliminating the foods typically eliminates the irritation.