Pain in the tongue, scientifically known as glossalgia, is usually brought on by visible changes such as sores or infections. However, pain can also arise due to problems that are harder to identify and in need of treatment.
That way, whenever tongue pain arises for no apparent reason or does not improve after 1 week it is advised to consult a dentist or a general practitioner to identify the problem and start the appropriate treatment.
6 leading causes of tongue pain
It is important to determine the cause of the discomfort in the tongue to rule out or diagnose and treat early serious diseases such as oral cancer or some systemic disease, for example.
1. Injuries or canker sores
Lesions on the tongue are very common, arising mainly when you bite your tongue or eat very hard foods like candy, lollipops or toast. These wounds, although they may be small, are quite painful, since the tongue is a very flexible muscle that moves constantly.
Similar to wounds, are canker sores, which develop due to several factors, such as excessive stress, consumption of acidic foods, use of dental appliances or weakened immune system. See all major causes of thrush.
What to do: A great way to quickly relieve the pain brought on by these injuries is to make mouthwashes of warm salt water at least 3 times a day. In addition, it is important to maintain proper mouth hygiene by brushing the teeth after eating to avoid infecting the wounds with food bacteria.
2. Irritation of tongue
The irritation of the tongue is almost as frequent as canker sores and occurs mainly after brushing the tongue very strongly or after using irritants to the mouth, such as mouthwash with alcohol. The consumption of very spicy foods, with a lot of piri-piri or pepper, can also cause irritation and burning sensation for several hours.
What to do: Avoid drinking alcohol or putting irritating substances in your mouth. Putting a pebble of ice on your tongue may also help relieve the pain.
3. Burns
Burning of the tongue happens when you eat some food just cooked or when you put a hot object on your tongue, for example. Although, acute pain improves shortly after the burn, the tongue may become sore for a few days until completely recovered.
What to do: An excellent tip is to eat something frosty, like ice cream or an ice cube, to stop the burning and decrease the pain. Also, know 4 other ways to improve pain and speed burn healing.
4. Nutritional deficiencies
Lack of some nutrients such as vitamin B12 or iron, for example, can cause anemia, resulting in a burning sensation or sore tongue, associated with other symptoms such as excessive tiredness, pallor or excessive hunger.
What to do: If there is no other apparent reason for the pain in the tongue it is advised to consult a general practitioner and ask for a blood test to evaluate the hypothesis of anemia. See how anemia should be treated.
5. Geographical language
The geographical language is a change that can occur in childhood and usually disappears around the age of 7, causing red spots on the tongue that can cause burning or pain, especially when eating salty or acidic foods.
When the child has tongue pain or feeling strange, but no change can be identified, the possibility of having ingested some chemical such as detergent, for example, should be confirmed.
What to do: This problem should be diagnosed by a pediatrician, because if it causes pain should be done with anti-inflammatory treatment, for example. Check how the treatment is done.
6. Oral Candidiasis
Candidiasis is a very common infection that usually appears when the immune system is weakened, such as after a cold or after taking antibiotics, for example. In addition to tongue pain, this infection can still cause other symptoms such as white spots on the mouth or difficulty swallowing.
What to do: most important is to maintain proper oral hygiene to help eliminate excess bacteria and fungi, as well as avoiding too sugary or fatty foods. In more severe cases it may be necessary to use medicines such as nystatin. Understand how all oral candidiasis treatment is done.
