What does a healthy tongue look like?
First, let's remind parents what a healthy tongue looks like. The following signs indicate the state of normality:
- the size is not increased;
- humidity is moderate;
- the color of the tongue is pale pink, without spots or grooves;
- sensitivity is normal, papillae are not enlarged;
- allow for a light coating that is easy to clean;
- There is no bad breath.
If, upon examination of the child, the condition of his tongue corresponds to the signs described above, there is no reason to worry and see a doctor.
Changes that should alert parents
In addition to changes in the color of the taste organ, parents should be wary of other accompanying symptoms, including:
- swelling, against which the imprints of teeth can be seen;
- insufficient moisture or obvious dryness of the surface of the tongue;
- enlarged papillae, especially pronounced in the root part;
- formation of persistent plaque on the surface of the tongue;
- burning sensation and impaired taste perception;
- the appearance of a specific odor from the mouth.
Parents can notice these changes during a visual inspection, which is best done in the morning in natural light. If the situation continues for a long time, the plaque thickens and the color of the tongue does not return to normal, there is every reason to consult a doctor to find out the reasons and identify hidden pathology.
Secondary medical education
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A red or pale tongue is not the norm!
Both options indicate pathological changes occurring in the child’s body:
- A crimson-red tongue always indicates the presence of an infection (viral, bacterial or fungal). Most often it is tonsillitis, scarlet fever, stomatitis or glossitis.
- A red and shiny tongue is a sign of anemia, exhaustion and severe stomach disease;
- A cherry tint is a sign of influenza and measles, as well as general intoxication or kidney dysfunction;
- A bluish color indicates a lack of oxygen; there is reason to suspect disorders in the cardiovascular system or lungs;
- Purple color may indicate blood and lung diseases, heart failure.
- A too pale tongue, being penetrated by blood vessels, a priori cannot be lighter than blood. In most cases, this sign indicates exhaustion, deficiency of folic acid or vitamin B 12.
Let us remind parents that very often there may be a coating on the surface of the tongue, the color of which also has its own characteristics.
Anemia
Anemia, also called anemia, is characterized by a low concentration of hemoglobin in the blood, and its different types differ in color, severity and other characteristics. One of the varieties is B12 deficiency anemia, also called Addison-Birmer disease, a feature of which is a lack of vitamin B12 in the body, which is necessary for the normal functioning of the bone marrow and central nervous system.
A red tongue is one of the symptoms of anemia.
Frequent accompaniments of this disease are neurological disorders: numbness of the limbs and ataxia due to the death of nerve cells. A red tongue is also one of the symptoms of this type of anemia, and as the disease progresses, it takes on a “varnished” appearance caused by damage to its surface.
Additional Information . In addition to the obvious cause of the disease in the form of a lack of vitamin B12 in the diet, the development of this anemia is influenced by some disorders and diseases of the gastrointestinal tract (including helminths and cancer), as well as heredity.
Causes of tongue redness
All existing causes of external changes in the language, including its color, can be divided into two groups. The first group of factors are easily solvable problems that do not signal internal disorders and are not a cause for concern on the part of parents. These include:
- consumption of coloring foods and drinks,
- eating too hot (cold) food;
- mechanical trauma from a brush, teeth, lollipop, etc.
The second one combines negative causes that are inextricably linked with pathological processes that are hidden or obvious in the child’s body:
- inflammation of the taste buds;
- any inflammatory processes caused by viruses or infection;
- intoxication of the body due to poisoning;
- taking medications (antibiotics);
- allergic reaction to food, medications.
- lack of vitamins and microelements.
Only a doctor can identify the true cause of changes in the color and texture of the tongue. Parents should not engage in self-diagnosis and self-medication; this will only mask the problem and complicate the doctor’s work.
Lacquered tongue
When examining the tongue, the doctor determines its color, shape, swelling, thickness, moisture, teeth marks, the severity of the vessels under the tongue, the color and nature of plaque. A healthy person's tongue is pink, clean and shiny; plaque indicates the presence of some disease. An equally important indicator is the violation of the relief of the tongue, the appearance of various grooves. This often indicates a violation of vitamin metabolism.
The organ appears varnished as a result of atrophy of its papillae. With some pathologies, the number of papillae decreases, sometimes they disappear altogether. As a result, it looks smooth, shiny, as if varnished. This condition is typical for malignant tumors of the stomach, vitamin B12 deficiency, and chronic colitis.
The smooth surface of the tongue, the so-called varnished tongue, often appears with iron deficiency and B12 deficiency anemia
A type of “varnished” tongue includes the so-called “chessboard” tongue, which is covered with a difficult-to-remove coating of black-brown color, with cracks resembling a chessboard.
This happens with pellagra (deficiency of nicotinic acid and vitamin B). In the late stage of pellagra, the tongue acquires a red tint with a varnished surface - “cardinal tongue”.
A disease that causes a varnished tongue
A smooth surface of the tongue, the so-called “polished” or “varnished” tongue, often appears with iron deficiency and B12 deficiency (pernicious) anemia, as well as with a deficiency of vitamins B2 and PP. The factors that lead to such changes in the mucous membrane of the tongue also affect the mucous membrane of the stomach and intestines: the same changes occur there - atrophy of the gastric mucosa.
Vitamin B12 is necessary for normal hematopoiesis, the formation of epithelial cells, the functioning of the nervous system (participates in the formation of myelin), growth and regeneration processes.
The lacquered tongue is observed:
- megaloblastic anemia (pernicious anemia, pernicious anemia, Addison-Biermer anemia);
- lesions of the digestive tract (the tongue becomes bright red, smooth, highly sensitive to chemical irritants, atrophy of the gastric mucosa and achylia are noted);
- disorders of the nervous system (paresthesia, pain, gait disturbances).
The crimson lacquered tongue is characteristic
The reasons for the change in tongue color to raspberry in adults may be gastritis, pneumonia, poisoning, lack of vitamin B12.
The reasons for the change in tongue color to raspberry in adults may be gas trit; pneumonia; poisoning; lack of vitamin B12. A raspberry tongue may be associated with chronic liver disease.
Problems with the gastrointestinal tract, in particular gastritis, will be indicated by a bright crimson tongue coated. At the same time, the intensity of plaque accumulation will be uneven: there will be less of it along the edges and at the tip, and more in the center. At the same time, the appearance of a burning sensation on the tongue indicates a decrease in stomach acidity.
With a lack of vitamin B12, a severe form of anemia may occur. It develops against the background of poor absorption of vitamin B12 in the body or its insufficient intake from food. Nerve cells and bone marrow especially suffer from vitamin B12 deficiency. One of the signs of anemia is a raspberry lacquered tongue.
Red lacquered tongue
A red lacquered tongue is a sure sign of vitamin B12 deficiency. Due to vitamin deficiency, the structure of the tongue undergoes changes; it becomes bright red, as if varnished. As if this were not enough, an unpleasant burning sensation appears in the tongue and distortion of taste impressions.
“Red lacquered” tongue, or atrophic glossitis (the surface of the tongue is bright red, shiny, smooth due to atrophy (death) of the taste buds) - stomach cancer (a malignant tumor arising from the epithelium (surface cells of the stomach)), chronic colitis (inflammation colon), malabsorption of nutrients in the intestine, vitamin B12 deficiency, xerostomia (dry mouth), candidiasis.
Sources:
- https://si-yanie.com/smartblog/308_diagnostika-po-yazyku.html
- https://www.remedium.ru/doctor/detail.php?ID=2993
- https://buzovanovosti.ru/aksessuary/raspberry-tongue-in-adult-causes-diagnosis-of-diseases-by-language.html
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What diseases does a red tongue hide?
A red tongue can be a symptom of diseases of various etiologies, including:
- angina;
- flu;
- chickenpox,
- scarlet fever;
- stomatitis;
- glossitis;
- pneumonia;
- Kawasaki disease;
- gastritis;
- severe poisoning;
- renal failure;
- vitamin deficiency (vitamin B deficiency).
As you can see, the list of diseases is quite wide and requires visiting not only an otolaryngologist, but also, if necessary, other specialized specialists: dentist, endocrinologist, gastroenterologist, etc.
Most common reasons
Sometimes, the causes of glossitis are congenital, for example with a folded tongue. But most often the disease develops against the background of:
- Chemical and thermal burns.
Putting garlic paste on a sore tooth may not be such a good idea. And hot food is harmful to the mucous membrane of the tongue and stomach. - Infections.
Do you have a red spot on your tongue and it hurts? This may be a symptom of a fungal (candidiasis), viral (herpes), bacterial (Helicobacter, spirochete, staphylococcus, streptococcus) infection. - Mechanical damage.
Gnawing on nuts is dangerous not only for teeth, but also for the mucous membrane of the mouth and tongue. Sometimes constant mechanical impact is caused by incorrect prosthetics. - Lack of vitamins
, especially group B. This affects tissue metabolism, resulting in inflammation of the mucous surface. - Psychoneurological factors.
With stress or neurological disorders, the tongue becomes inflamed quite often.
