Folded tongue: causes and treatment of the disease

What it is

Officially, painful cracks on the tongue and along the edge of the tongue are called glossalgia. This is a fairly common neurosomatic disease.

Most common symptoms:

• dryness in the tongue area;
• itching and burning;
• swelling;
• soreness.

The insidiousness of glossalgia is that it does not go away on its own; without appropriate treatment it is impossible to get rid of a crack in the tongue.

At an early stage of the disease, the doctor may not notice pronounced cracks in the tongue, since they are microscopic and mainly manifest themselves as burning and pain. If you do not respond to this symptom in a timely manner, over time a crack may form at the tip or in the middle of the tongue, longitudinally, as well as cracks under the tongue and on the sides. In this case, the doctor also notes swelling and swelling of the tongue, atrophy of the salivary glands and filiform papillae on the surface of the tongue. The sooner you start treatment, the easier it is to get rid of glossalgia, so if you have cracks in your tongue, you should immediately consult a doctor.

Use of traditional medicine

At home, you can use well-known methods to help heal wounds in the mouth, eliminate pain, relieve swelling and other symptoms. However, before treating cracked tongue with folk remedies, you need to ensure their compatibility with the prescribed medications.

The most effective are the following recipes:

• 
  Herbal infusion of chamomile, celandine, sage and calendula. For adults, you can add St. John's wort. Take after meals in the form of baths or lotions. Promotes wound healing and relieves swelling.

• Compresses from fermented milk products. Soften scars and scabs. The procedure should be done in the morning for 15 minutes.
• Sea buckthorn or olive oil. In the morning you need to drop a few drops on the mucous membrane and in the middle of the tongue, then do not drink or eat for 15 minutes. Softens dry formations on the tongue and mucous membranes.
• Honey. Has wound-healing and antimicrobial effects. A piece of the product can be placed in the middle of the tongue and dissolved. Gives a good effect if cracks bleed.
• Propolis tincture (for adults only). The strongest disinfectant: has antimicrobial, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects. Since alcohol tincture cannot be used in its pure form if there are open wounds, you need to dilute 1 teaspoon in 100 grams of warm tea. Drink after meals.

Congenital fissures

It happens that a patient has cracks in the tongue since birth or childhood, which practically do not cause him any concern. Such cracks are usually transverse and are caused by the development and formation of the tongue.

Some patients have a so-called folded tongue, a congenital feature of tongue development. It is usually considered normal and does not require any treatment. The exception is red cracks in the tongue, which form at the bottom of the folds and cause pain to the patient. This happens with insufficient oral hygiene, so those with a folded tongue must carefully clean not only their teeth and gums, but also their tongue from plaque. If the owner of a folded tongue has developed cracks, treatment should be prescribed by a competent doctor, taking into account the design features of the patient’s tongue. To prevent the formation of folds in the depths, more attention should be paid to the sanitation of the oral cavity.

Why does my tongue sting?

Physiological reasons

In healthy people, a short-term tingling of the tongue is observed after eating certain foods: tomatoes, onions, garlic, herbs, spices, hot seasonings, pickles, marinades.
Often provoked by berries, sour fruits (lemon, kiwi, pineapple). Drinks that can cause the development of symptoms include kefir, some juices, strong tea, coffee, alcohol, primarily wine. Sometimes hot drinks or food cause superficial burns of the mucous membrane. In this case, the tingling is intense, complemented by tingling and burning. The sensation is also typical for heavy smokers and is associated with constant irritation of the tongue from tobacco smoke. Sometimes the disorder occurs while taking antidepressants, antibiotics, antiemetics, sedatives and hormonal drugs.

Glossalgia

It is a functional disorder, often develops against the background of gastrointestinal diseases, endocrine and neurological pathologies. Pinching, burning and rawness of the tongue during glossalgia can be periodic or constant, causing rapid fatigue when speaking, and is accompanied by dry mouth. Mostly it occurs in the area of ​​the tip and side surfaces. The symptom intensifies against the background of excitement, disappears or weakens when eating. External changes, as a rule, are absent.

Glossodynia

Along with tingling and tingling, patients may complain of a hairy sensation or “crawling sensation.” The symptom is more pronounced in the tip area and can spread throughout the entire tongue. The root rarely suffers. Characteristic is the spread of the affected area and an increase in the duration of discomfort as glossodynia progresses. Manifestations increase in the evening, sometimes bother you all night, and disappear during meals. The disorder is observed in the following diseases:

• Lesions of the digestive system:
  gastritis, gastric ulcer, cholecystitis, pancreatitis, colitis.
• Endocrine pathologies:
  diabetes mellitus, thyroid dysfunction.
• Cardiovascular problems:
  hypertension, atherosclerosis, ischemic heart disease.
• Neurological dysfunction:
  vegetative-vascular dystonia, functional disorders due to stress, neuroses, psycho-emotional exhaustion.

Tongue tingling

Desquamative glossitis

In most cases, the pathology is asymptomatic, however, some patients complain of changes in taste sensations, tingling, and pinching of the tongue. Diction problems are possible. Upon examination, multiple whitish areas are revealed, which, after peeling off the epidermis, turn into red spots. Desquamative glossitis can accompany the following conditions:

• Gastroenterological problems:
  gastritis, enterocolitis, cholecystitis, hepatitis.
• Autoimmune diseases:
  rheumatism, systemic scleroderma, SLE.
• Chronic dermatoses:
  psoriasis, exudative diathesis.
• Hypovitaminosis:
  deficiency of vitamins B1, B2, B5, B6, B12.

Sometimes it develops during pregnancy and worries patients with pathologies of the hematopoietic system and autonomic disorders. Some patients have a hereditary predisposition.

Dental diseases

A common cause of tingling, pain and burning are dental diseases: caries, tartar deposits. The symptom occurs when the edge of the tongue is damaged by a tooth fragment, prosthesis or crown; the damage is local in nature. Sometimes the cause of development is an individual reaction to the prosthetic material. In such cases, itching, irritation and redness of the mucous membranes are observed.

Xerostomia

Due to an insufficient amount of saliva, the tongue dries out, and a feeling of tingling, tightness, and tingling occurs. The disorder is aggravated by eating hard, dry foods or talking for a long time. Over time, the changes progress, and the discomfort becomes permanent. To reduce the severity of symptoms, patients often drink water or rinse their mouth. Taste sensations are reduced or distorted. Xerostomia can be diagnosed in the following cases:

• Endocrine pathologies:
  hyperthyroidism, diabetes mellitus.
• Diseases of the salivary glands:
  tumors, mumps, calculi.
• Dehydration:
  fever, increased sweating, repeated vomiting or diarrhea.
• Infectious diseases:
  HIV, some other viral infections.
• Other reasons:
  condition after radiation therapy, frequent or prolonged stress.

Oral candidiasis

Pinching, discomfort, tingling are detected in the chronic form of the disease. Acute candidiasis is often manifested by pain and burning. The unpleasant sensations are widespread, covering the tongue and oral mucosa. The affected areas are covered with a dense gray coating, which, when removed, reveals a bright red inflamed epithelium. With hyperplastic candidiasis, the mucous membranes become painful and rough. Atrophic candidiasis is localized, the lesions are located next to the dentures and are areas of erythema with clear boundaries.

Allergic reactions

The most common etiological factor for tingling is food allergy. The symptom can also be observed in a reaction to pollen, house dust, animal dander and other allergens. Severe itching predominates, which forces the patient to “scratch” the affected area with his teeth, may be supplemented by tingling of the tongue, and is accompanied by sneezing and lacrimation.

How do they look

Small cracks in the tongue can be completely invisible to the naked eye; only an experienced doctor can examine them using special instruments. The larger ones are clearly visible to the naked eye; they resemble longitudinal or transverse grooves on the tongue. Deep cracks look like crevices; sometimes the tongue appears to be cracked or split into two parts. If you notice such a problem, consult a doctor, even if nothing is bothering you at the moment. If an infection gets into the crack, the course of the disease may be complicated by the inflammatory process.

Main symptoms

Sometimes the presence of cracks and grooves in the tongue is not accompanied by unnatural or painful sensations and can only be detected during examination by a dentist, ENT specialist or therapist. But this doesn't always happen. Patients often complain of the following related problems:

• pain;
• burning sensation;
• feeling that the tongue is loose;
• there is blood and ichor;
• elevated temperature;
• swelling and itching appeared;
• it becomes painful to chew;
• there is a problem with speech;
• increased salivation appeared;
• change in natural color;
• taste disturbance;
• the appearance of an unpleasant odor.

If cracks appear on the tongue, and the phenomenon is accompanied by one of the listed symptoms, then they speak of a progressive disease. This inflammatory process is referred to as glossitis; the prognosis for recovery from it is usually favorable. The appearance of erosions, furrows and ulcers indicates damage to the deep parts of the tongue. In this case, you should definitely contact a specialist.

Sometimes the tongue cracks and becomes covered with ulcers due to general damage to the ENT organs. Thus, tonsillitis or fungal pharyngitis can cause swelling and the appearance of white grooves. This condition is not isolated as an independent disease. Treatment in such cases begins with eliminating the underlying problem.

Reasons for appearance

Reasons for education:

• lack of nutrients, iron and vitamin PP in the patient’s body;
• anemia;
• lack of B vitamins;
• allergic reaction to toothpaste or medications;
• chronic fatigue and constant nervous tension;
• mechanical damage to the tongue (nervous biting, chewing);
• disruption of capillary blood flow in the tongue;
• the patient has diseases such as gastritis, enterocolitis, hepatitis, cholecystitis;
• wearing uncomfortable dentures.

The main reason why the tongue is cracked is mechanical injuries due to a lack of vitamins and microelements in the patient’s body. In this case, it is enough to bite your tongue while chewing food so that a painful crack forms at its tip.

Another fairly common reason why a patient’s tongue is cracked is a malfunction in the patient’s central nervous system, which is caused by chronic fatigue, frequent stress, and lack of sleep. This is a reason to suspect a problem with the hypothalamus.

It happens that patients are perplexed: why there are cracks on the tongue, there seems to be no visible reason for their appearance. In this case, the answer to the question of why cracks appear can only be given by an experienced doctor, after a thorough diagnosis. It is necessary to do a detailed blood test to determine which microelements and vitamins are missing in the patient’s body. Quite often, correction of the nutritional system helps get rid of the disease.

Many people are probably interested in the question of what cracks mean. After all, the tongue, as is known, signals the presence of many diseases and pathological conditions of the human body. Cracks in the tongue are a sign of a lack of vitamins and microelements in the body. Quite often, cracks are caused by worms, as they deplete the human body, causing anemia and iron deficiency. They also indicate a diseased liver, since with this disease the human body does not receive many microelements important for health.

Cracks in the tongue on the side can be a sign of thyroid disease; in this case, it swells and is injured at the edges by the patient’s teeth.

Geographic fold tongue

Depending on various factors of influence, as well as on concomitant diseases, the nature of the grooves can be of several types. For example, desquamative glossitis, which is sometimes called geographic tongue, is characterized by the presence of reddish or gray spots on the surface of the organ. They come in different sizes and are most often separated by yellowish borders of thread-like nipples. Thanks to this pattern, the organ is similar to a geographical map. Often such “cards” indicate the presence of another chronic disease.

Treatment

The main question that worries patients with glossalgia is how to cure cracks in the tongue. In fact, everything is not so difficult. The treatment method depends on the cause of glossalgia.

1. First, it is necessary to eliminate the dental causes of tongue cracks - correct an incorrect bite, replace defective fillings, and adjust the prosthesis. Next, the patient should be carefully examined by a therapist, neurologist, and, if necessary, by an endocrinologist and gastroenterologist. And only after this should treatment for glossalgia be prescribed.
2. Typically, treatment for fissures consists of drug therapy and physiotherapeutic procedures. Treatment with medications is to improve blood circulation in the tissues of the oral cavity, as well as to improve general cerebral circulation. For this purpose, drugs such as trental, cavinton, nicotinic acid, and vitamin C are prescribed.
3. The tone of the autonomic nervous system should also be improved; for this purpose, sedatives are prescribed - tincture of valerian, motherwort, persen.
4. Additionally, the doctor may prescribe procedures such as hirudotherapy or electrical neurostimulation using a TENS device. A good effect is achieved by using electrophoresis, as well as iontophoresis of novocaine.
5. If the tongue is severely painful, the doctor may prescribe local painkillers - lidocaine, dicaine.
6. If the patient has cracks in the tongue, plaque and burning, it is necessary to adjust the diet. During treatment, you should completely exclude from the diet foods that irritate the surface of the tongue - such as sour juices, vegetables, pickles and marinades. You should not consume large amounts of spices, especially pepper and salt. It is advisable to quit smoking.
7. After each meal, be sure to brush your teeth and rinse your mouth with salted water or a decoction of medicinal herbs. Oak bark, sage, propolis, and honey have a healing effect.

Folded tongue with white spots

Sometimes, in addition to the grooves, white spots appear on the organ. Typically, this symptom is observed in several pathologies at once:

• desquamative glossitis,
• Melkersson-Rosenthal syndrome,
• candidiasis glossitis (damage to the mucous membrane of fungal or yeast-like infections, oral thrush),
• leukoplakia (pathological reaction of the mucous membranes to various irritants. Outwardly it looks like a whitish dense spot that can increase in size),
• sclerosing glossitis (begins with tertiary syphilis). The proliferation of connective tissue in this form of syphilis is accompanied by compaction of the organ and a decrease in its mobility, while the scrotal tongue is soft and loose and has good mobility.

Important! Leukoplakia of the tongue is rarely diagnosed; most often the mucous membranes of the inside of the cheeks, palate and angular folds of the mouth are affected. Leukoplakia differs from geographic tongue by compactions in the area of ​​spots (even warty growths) and can develop into malignant formations.

How and with what to treat cracks in the tongue

Whatever disease causes cracks in the tongue, damage to the oral cavity requires symptomatic treatment. Patients are prescribed:

• analgesics (for pain relief), non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs;
• steroid medications, for severe inflammation: Prednisolone, Hydrocortisone;
• for pain in the tongue, applications with anesthetics are used: “Trimecaine”, “Lidocaine”, “Pyromecaine”;
• a drug that stimulates epithelial restoration, for example “Dalargin”;
• antimicrobial agents (antibiotics), for bacterial and fungal complications;
• calcium pantothenate;
• vitamins;
• antihistamines;
• decoctions, infusions, rinses with antiseptics;
• solcoseryl paste;
• exclusion of hot, spicy foods and other irritants.

Folk remedies also reduce inflammation, swelling, and have a wound-healing effect. Herbal preparations, infusions, and decoctions are used to rinse the mouth. Here are some recipes:

• A decoction of oak bark with the addition of honey. Four tablespoons of crushed bark are poured with cold water (take 4 cups) and put on fire. When the composition boils, remove from the stove, leave for half an hour, filter, and add honey to the warm infusion. Rinse your mouth and throat up to 5 times a day.
• Compress made from cottage cheese and sour cream. Wrap the mixture in gauze, apply it to your tongue, and do this before breakfast.
• Herbal collection: pour sage, raspberries, mallow and coltsfoot (all 20 g), pour 200 ml of boiling water. Leave for about 2 hours, rinse your mouth and throat.
• Rinse your mouth with potato juice (squeeze fresh).

If damage is localized in the area of ​​the tip of the tongue, it is recommended to take daily baths with herbs and infusions. The affected part is immersed directly in a cup with infusion. During treatment, a strict diet is followed. Spicy, salty, smoked foods, scalding teas, and alcohol should be eliminated from the diet. Anything that dries or damages the lingual epithelium is excluded.

Features of care

If you have this pathology, you do not need to self-medicate; careful care and supervision by a specialist are required. In general, you should take care of your oral cavity as follows:

• general oral hygiene;
• rinsing;
• if the patient uses removable dentures, they should also be thoroughly cleaned after eating;
• it is necessary to avoid spicy, salty food, it should not be too hot or cold;
• giving up bad habits (smoking, alcohol);
• You need to brush your teeth with a special paste;
• the toothbrush should be made of synthetic materials: this will help avoid damage;
• regular visits to the dentist.

Such careful care will help neutralize the oral cavity from bacteria, which will prevent their proliferation and the occurrence of associated infections.

Author:

Symptoms that may accompany a cracked tongue

If injuries occur, the patient is concerned about:

• pain when talking, while eating;
• swelling, redness;
• blisters, ulcers throughout the mucous membrane;
• increased salivation, or vice versa, dry mouth;
• white coating on the tongue;
• burning in the mouth;
• temperature increase.

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