Tongue disorders are extremely common, ranging from minor furring of the tongue to extensive inflammation and even malignancy. Tongue disorders can also be a manifestation of systemic disease.

Causes

Furring

  • Gastrointestinal disease

  • Dehydration

  • Smokers

  • Antibiotics

Colour change

  • White patches, e.g. leucoplakia, thrush

  • Pallor (anaemia)

  • Blue (central cyanosis)

  • Red (pernicious anaemia, vitamin deficiency)

  • Black (black hairy tongue)

  • Pigmented (Addison’s disease)

Swelling (macroglossia)

  • Down’s syndrome

  • Trauma, e.g. hot liquids, corrosive substances

  • Myxoedema

  • Allergy

  • Infiltration, e.g. amyloid, lymphoma

  • Congenital hypothyroidism

  • Acromegaly

Glossitis

  • Smoking

  • Spices

  • Spirits

  • Sepsis

  • Sharp teeth

  • Geographic tongue

  • Syphilis (tertiary syphilis)

  • Scarlet fever

Ulceration

  • Aphthous ulcer

  • Dental trauma

  • Carcinoma ( Fig. 58 )

    Figure 58, Ulcerating squamous cell carcinoma on the lateral margin of the tongue .

  • Chancre

  • Gumma

Wasting

  • Bulbar palsy

  • Hypoglossal nerve palsy

  • Motor neuron disease

Other

  • Burning mouth syndrome

  • Oral Lichen planus

  • Sjogren’s syndrome

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