If you've ever bitten your tongue, you know how sensitive it can be. Glossitis is a condition that causes your tongue to become sore and swollen. There are a few different types, and knowing the symptoms will help you let your oral health professional know if you have it.

What Are The Causes of Glossitis?

There are different things that can cause glossitis that range from an infection to eating something that's too spicy. If you have a virus or a bacterial infection such as oral herpes simplex, it can cause you to have glossitis. The same goes for a yeast infection in your mouth or if you suffer from dry mouth syndrome. You can have an allergic reaction to a certain type of mouthwash, medication for your blood pressure, or some dyes in certain candies. If you have a skin condition such as syphilis or pemphigus vulgaris, you can have glossitis. Some deficiencies in your nutrition such as not getting enough zinc or iron can cause glossitis.

What Are Some Symptoms of Glossitis?

These symptoms can appear individually or all together. You might find with glossitis you have pain or burning in your mouth, tingling of the tongue, a feeling that it's hairy when your taste buds swell, changes in taste, an increase in thirst, loss of taste entirely, and a swelling of the tongue. You also might experience a loss of papillae, causing your tongue to feel smooth and change color.

What are the Types of Glossitis?

All forms of glossitis cause you to lose papillae on your tongue. The severity of this depends on the type you have. Papillae are the small bumps that help your tongue grip food so you can chew it up and swallow it. Chronic glossitis will keep coming back after it started as a symptom of another health condition. Idiopathic or Hunter's glossitis specifically affects the muscles in your tongue. Hunter glossitis is associated with pernicious anemia. It's a deficiency in Vitamin B12 that causes your red blood cell count to be low. Atrophic glossitis is a large number of papillae being lose at once.

How Is Glossitis Treated?

To treat glossitis, the medical professional wants to get rid of the inflammation. They can give you antibiotics to help and additional medication for infection if it's the underlying cause of the condition. If it's something brought on by an allergic reaction, then they will help you determine the cause, and if it's a nutritional deficiency, then they will help you realign your diet.

If you experience any of the symptoms discussed above, it's important to go to a doctor for a proper diagnosis and to start treatment. Since glossitis can affect the way you eat and speak, you'll want to try and get the problem cured as soon as possible.

For more information, contact Howley & Basara Family Dentistry PC or a similar location.