Which doctor treats glossitis of the tongue in adults and children

• What to look for during a self-examination
• Choosing a specialist depending on symptoms

Today, a problem such as pathology of the oral mucosa is often diagnosed.
The disease can affect the lips, tongue, and cheeks. What to do? You need to go to the doctor! The dentist will provide assistance to the patient. If the disease is associated with therapeutic problems, you should visit a therapist. If necessary, narrow specialists will be invited for consultation. Note! For any abnormalities of the oral cavity and its organs, you should consult a doctor promptly. Ignoring the disease can lead to serious complications. The sooner the patient gets to the doctor, the faster and easier the therapy will be.

Many ailments of the chewing organs and oral cavity can be treated by a dentist. The tongue is a mirror of the body. His condition allows us to judge:

• About the work of the heart;
• Spleen and liver;
• Kidney, when the pathology is detected from the side;
• Stomach or pancreas;
• Teeth, gums;

Based on the nature of the patient’s complaints, plaque, color, smell, and tests, the doctor determines the problems that have arisen. It is important not to delay going to the medical center. When the disease concerns the chewing organs or mucous tissues of the mouth, you need to consult a dentist. Dentistry in St. Petersburg is a department where they will provide professional assistance to any patient. Diseases are often caused by bacterial, viral, fungal infections, and improper functioning of internal organs.

1. Go to the dentist if the burning sensation bothers you, the problem is related to the gum tissues, teeth. Inflammation can be caused by a denture, periodontal disease, or an unsuccessful filling.
2. Visit an ENT specialist to rule out tonsillitis and tonsillitis.
3. For no apparent reason, make an appointment with a therapist. The doctor will determine the provoking factor and refer you to the right specialist.

This could be an endocrinologist, a neurologist, an infectious disease specialist and other doctors.

How to treat candidal glossitis - causes, symptoms, treatment methods

Glossitis is an inflammation of the tissues of the tongue, which can be either an independent disease or a symptom of another pathology.
Read on to learn more about the causes of folded glossitis in children, diagnostic methods and treatment therapy. Classification of glossitis:

• diamond-shaped (median);
• desquamative;
• deep;
• folded;
• Gunter's;
• interstitial.

In addition, a distinction is made between chronic glossitis and acute glossitis with pronounced symptoms.

Tongue cancer - causes of the disease

Doctors indicate several main reasons that can cause the development of an oncological process in the tissues of the tongue. These factors include:

• regularly smoking or chewing tobacco;
• excessive alcohol consumption;
• infection with the human papillomavirus or HPV;
• poor diet, especially lack of fruits and vegetables;
• lack of proper oral hygiene;
• work in hazardous industries where contact with heavy metals, salts, and chemicals is expected;
• chronic inflammation of the oral cavity;
• prolonged exposure to artificial light (for example, solarium);
• the presence of incorrect dentures that injure the mucous membrane of the tongue
• cases of oral cancer in close relatives;
• the occurrence of other squamous cell carcinomas before this.

The combination of several risk factors increases the possibility of developing tongue cancer by 2-3 times.

Glossitis in children

This disease, like geographic tongue, is diagnosed quite often in children. The pathology, as a rule, is asymptomatic and is detected accidentally during examination for another disease.

Causes of glossitis in children:

• violations of personal hygiene rules;
• the body's reaction to the dental filling material;
• eating hot or cold food;
• helminthic infestation;
• gastrointestinal diseases (diamond-shaped glossitis);
• infectious and colds.
• atopic dermatitis.

Treatment methods

Today, the following regimens have been proposed for the treatment of tongue cancer:

1. Surgical intervention. A mandatory procedure necessary to eliminate the tumor. Depending on the stage of the disease, resection of the tongue, affected tissues, and bone areas is performed.
2. Radiation therapy. Required before and after surgery. Allows you to reduce the primary focus of the tumor and stop the process of metastasis.
3. Plastic surgery. Necessary during postoperative recovery to restore the structures of the maxillofacial area.

Early stage tongue cancer can be easily treated with surgery, but it is very difficult to diagnose. In cases where the disease progresses to more severe stages, treatment often requires an integrated approach. As a rule, it combines surgery and radiation therapy.

First of all, surgical removal of the tumor is carried out, excising part of the tongue or the entire organ. This procedure is called glossectomy. In addition to surgery, many patients receive appropriate treatment through chemotherapy. In the future, the patient requires a course of rehabilitation.

Symptoms of desquamative glossitis during pregnancy

Against the background of hormonal changes, pregnant women most often develop desquamative glossitis. The cause of the malfunction in the body is the small amount of vitamins and microelements entering the body. It is this deficiency that gives impetus to the emergence and development of pathological changes. Poor circulation, enlarged uterus and gastrointestinal diseases are factors predisposing to the development of the disease.

Treatment of glossitis in an expectant mother should consist of safe medications.

On our website Dobrobut.com you can make an appointment and find out which doctor treats glossitis of the tongue in adults.

Symptoms of glossitis

The manifestations of this disease depend primarily on its type. It’s worth saying a few words about the most common ones:

• deep glossitis, in which the inflammatory process is localized deep in the tissues of the tongue. The manifestations of this type of disease are similar to the typical symptoms of phlegmon or abscess;
• phlegmonous, in which inflammation is localized in the lower part of the oral cavity;
• superficial - in this case the inflammatory process affects only the mucous membrane;
• catarrhal, the main symptom of which is the formation on the surface of the tongue of a thick layer of plaque of dense consistency. Over time, this causes the tongue to swell and increase in size, preventing normal eating and making the patient's speech unintelligible. May also be accompanied by severe drooling;
• in patients with the ulcerative variety of glossitis, the tongue is covered with an unpleasant dark gray coating. When cleaning off this plaque, a person discovers erosions and ulcers on the tongue. They may bleed and be quite painful. This form of the disease leads to bad breath.

These are the most common, but not all possible types of glossitis. For example, there is also a disease of unknown etiology called black villous tongue. In patients suffering from it, the papillae on the surface of this organ increase in size, becoming brown or black. Common symptoms of glossitis that accompany all its forms include swelling of the tongue, difficulty chewing and swallowing food, difficulty speaking, burning of the tongue and plaque on its surface.

Clinical manifestations of the disease

Change in color of the tongue - from pale pink to crimson.

Change of size. With this pathology, an increase in the size of the tongue due to swelling of the mucous membrane is often observed. Edema occurs due to inflammatory processes, in which blood circulation increases and vascular permeability increases. The most pronounced swelling is diagnosed with glossitis, the cause of which is an allergy.

Deformation of the tongue is possible with phlegmonous glossitis with the formation of abscesses.

The presence of folds occurs with folded glossitis.

Symptoms of desquamative glossitis are the alternation of hyperemic areas with ulcerative manifestations.

Choosing a specialist depending on symptoms

Which specialist will help eliminate the emerging disease?

1. Consultation with a periodontist is needed when the periodontal tissues are damaged, with pathologies of the gums, ligaments, bones, where the root of the causative unit is located. If the patient undergoes regular preventive examinations, the risks are minimized.
2. When the disease is caused by vitamin deficiency, you should visit a therapist. If the speaking organ trembles, a stroke or heart attack can be suspected. The problem is dealt with by therapists and cardiologists.
3. If your tongue hurts due to stomatitis, make an appointment with the dentist. He will prescribe appropriate treatment.
4. When a case of illness is associated with improper functioning of the digestive system, consultation with a gastroenterologist will be required.
5. In case of glossalgia, the patient will be referred to a neurologist.
6. An infectious disease specialist can handle diseases caused by infections.

Ailments of the muscular organ and oral mucosa are often caused by injuries, inflammatory processes, in particular of the lymph nodes, anemia, allergic reactions, lichen, glossitis, and damage to nerve endings. Do not self-medicate, consult a doctor in a timely manner!

Diagnostics

Most often, patients with changes in the color, shape and size of the tongue are in no hurry to see a specialist. The disease is usually diagnosed accidentally. This can happen at an appointment with a dentist, therapist, otolaryngologist or gastroenterologist.

The diagnosis is made after examining the patient and obtaining the results of additional studies. The latter include: bacteriological examination of a smear, general blood analysis and biochemistry, blood tests for HIV, syphilis and TORCH infections, as well as consultations with an allergist, hematologist, gastroenterologist and immunologist.

Differential diagnosis of glossitis is carried out with:

• lichen planus;
• secondary syphilis;
• flat leukoplakia;
• gastrointestinal diseases.

Methods for diagnosing tongue cancer

The following diagnostic methods can be used to make a diagnosis:

1. Physical examination. Helps identify the presence of abnormal areas. The doctor must examine the tongue, lips, cheeks, and palate. Additionally, a flashlight and a special mirror with a long handle can be used for research.
2. Analysis for tumor markers of tongue cancer. Required to clarify the diagnosis.
3. Endoscopy. A method of examination using a special device - an endoscope, which allows you to examine hard-to-reach body cavities.
4. Biopsy. A study involving intravital sampling of tissue cells, which helps determine the type of cancer, predict its course and further prognosis for the patient.
5. Cytology. Laboratory analysis to evaluate the structure and condition of cells.
6. MRI, CT. Helps determine the true size of the tumor and plan surgical treatment.
7. Bone scan. Helps to identify the spread of the inflammatory process in the areas of bone being examined.
8. PET scan. Allows you to detect oncology at an asymptomatic stage.

At the first stage of diagnosing tongue cancer, a specialist doctor, for example, an oral and maxillofacial surgeon or oncologist, conducts a thorough examination of the patient, which begins with taking a medical history. The diagnosis process involves identifying all possible symptoms of the disease. Cancer is often hereditary, so doctors always pay attention to cases of cancer in close relatives.

How to treat candidal glossitis

During treatment, doctors recommend excluding salty, spicy, and hot foods from the diet, since high temperatures and irritating substances reduce the quality of treatment.

Antiseptic solutions, local anesthetics, healing agents, multivitamin preparations and herbal decoctions are the basis for conservative treatment of glossitis. In addition, it is necessary to normalize the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract and sanitize the oral cavity. Surgical treatment of glossitis is very rarely resorted to. Villous and phlegmonous glossitis may be indications for surgery.

Make an appointment with an experienced doctor and find out how to treat candidal glossitis and what traditional medicine recipes will help in this case. Reception is conducted by specialists with many years of experience.

Treatment for different stages of tongue cancer

Oral tumors progress rapidly. The patient's recovery depends on how quickly therapy is started after diagnosis. For each stage of tongue cancer, its own treatment is indicated:

Stage 0 - abnormal epithelial cells do not manifest themselves in any way, they are simply located on the mucous membrane of the mouth and lips. Treatment is not required until signs of malignancy appear.

Stage 1 – the size of the neoplasm is about 2 centimeters. The patient is prescribed surgical excision of the tumor and a course of chemotherapy.

Stage 2 – the formation begins to grow deeper into the tissue. Lymph nodes are not affected. Combination therapy is required in the form of radiation, a course of chemotherapy and excision surgery.

Stage 3 – characterized by an increase in the size of the neoplasm, it reaches from 2 to 4 centimeters. Spread to the lymph nodes occurs. Radiation is required to slow down metastasis, a course of chemotherapy and surgery.

Stage 4 – cancer spreads to the upper or lower surface of the jaw, it is also possible to affect other parts of the body: neck, head, bones, lungs. The size of the neoplasm is about 4 centimeters. Palliative treatment is indicated. Radiation and chemotherapy are most often indicated.