Tongue problems: symptoms and treatments I Mundo Hispanico

Do you have tongue problems? The tongue is an organ made up of muscles that work together to help humans articulate words and sounds, as well as move saliva and help with swallowing, and chewing. Each one is unique. It is a kind of fingerprint that we possess and that deserves special care. For this reason, it is important to detect any anomaly that could put your health at risk. Know the main tongue problems!

Black hairy tongue

Black hairy tongue is a medical condition in which the tongue turns a black, brown, green, yellow, or white hue and develops a hairy appearance that causes bad breath. This condition does not require medical intervention, since it is usually temporary. Among its causes are: excessive consumption of alcohol and tobacco, poor oral hygiene and irritants, such as mouthwash.

Fissured tongue

Tongue problems: symptoms and treatments — Shutterstock

Fissured tongue is a condition that is possibly genetic. It affects 2% to 5% of the US population. In general, this tongue problem does not cause discomfort and does not require a specific treatment. One way to verify that you have a fissure is by observing cracks, grooves or indentations that only occur in the tongue. If a sore or crack is found in another part of the mouth, it is necessary to see a doctor immediately.

Yellow tongue

Yellow tongue could be the first stage of a more serious tongue problem. In these cases, it is a temporary and harmless condition that does not cause much discomfort in those who suffer from it, but be careful because it could become something more serious. If the appearance is yellow and is accompanied by other symptoms such as yellow eyes and skin, then this could indicate an underlying condition such as jaundice, liver or gallbladder problems.

Tongue problems: Oral thrush

Boy covering his mouth besides his tongue — Shutterstock

Oral candidiasis is a disease that commonly occurs in children from the age of two, and can spread from the tongue to other parts of the body such as the inside of the cheeks. If caught early, it may not cause much discomfort when treated with drugs such as fluconazole. In a more advanced stage of the disease, you may experience pain, dry mouth, difficulty swallowing and a bad taste in the mouth or even loss of taste.

Lichen planus

Lichen planus is a tongue problem that occurs in approximately 1% of the world’s population. Its symptoms include: pain or burning sensation, discomfort when speaking, swallowing or chewing. After having diagnosed this disease, the doctor could recommend a treatment of corticosteroid injections, topical medications or pills. Because it is a chronic disease, it could take up to two years to go away completely.

Geographic tongue

Geographic tongue is a condition that can occur chronically and affect people for months and years, even when they have not been diagnosed with it. Symptoms include irregular red lesions on the top and sides of the tongue, changes in color and size of the tongue, and a sensation of pain when eating certain types of food. Medical treatment includes analgesics, mouthwashes and vitamin supplementation.

Tongue cancer

It is important to know the symptoms that occur in each disease related to the tongue, so as not to confuse these conditions with more serious ones, such as tongue cancer, which occurs in 1 in 60 men and 1 in 140 women. Among the symptoms to observe, the following stand out: wounds or sores on the tongue that do not heal quickly, sore throat that progressively worsens, pain when swallowing, numbness in the mouth and burning in the tongue, among others.

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