Common Diseases Of The Tongue

9 March, 2011 No Comment

Burning Tongue: It implies a burning sensation of part or whole of tongue without any visible changes in the structure or features. The common causes are: pellagra, neurosis, over-indulgence in smoking and drinking, gastritis and sometimes, though rarely, lingual tonsillitis.

Neuritis of the lingual nerve should be excluded. The treatment consists of correction of the causes, soothing mouth washes and Vitamin B complex by mouth. Sedatives and tranquillizers are used for resistant cases of neurotic origin.

Geographical Tongue: It is a peculiar, symptomless shedding of the surface epithelium of the mucous membrane of the tongue resulting in a slowly extending patch which is smooth, red, and bald with a well-defined, but irregular, figurate edge. It is found on the tip or dorsum of the tongue.

The condition is benign: the exact cause is still obscure. The course is enigmatic, and is marked by ups and downs. It is always difficult to predict the prognosis. The differential diagnosis is made from mucous patches of syphilis, lichen planus, avitaminosis and leukoplakia.

The treatment consist of: giving reassurance to the patient, improving his general health, improving oral hygiene and giving vitamin B complex in large doses.

Black Hairy Tongue: It is a rare affection seen on the mid-line of the dorsum of the tongue as a brownish-black plush due to hypertrophy of the epithelium of the filiform papillae and secondary infection with yeast-like organism. The exact etiology is obscure. The treatment consists of scraping or shaving off the affected portion and applying mild caustics.

Scrotal Tongue: It usually signifies congenital hypertrophy of the tongue, resulting in a rather large tongue with superficial and deep furrows and a glazed surface; the picture resembles scrotal skin.

Mohler’s Glossitis: This uncommon condition is a chronic, superficial inflammation of the tongue resulting in painful, well-defined, very red, raw patches. The etiology is obscure. The course is slow and chronic, marked by cyclic variations. The treatment is unsatisfactory.

Glossitis Rhombica Mediana: It is a chronic, symptomless, fibrosing inflammation of the tongue characterized by oval, red, smooth, shiny plaques with moderate induration on the dorsum of the middle of the tongue. Adults are selectively affected.

Smooth Atrophy of the Tongue: There are two main types of smooth atrophy of the tongue: first is with fibrosis as in syphilis and the second is without fibrosis, as in hypo chromic anemia etc. In pernicious anemia and pellagra, the tongue is bright red. In Plummer-Vinson syndrome, the mucous membranes of the tongue and the pharynx are atrophic causing dysphagia. This symptom is accompanied by spoon-shaped nails. (koilonychia).