For hundreds of years, traditional Chinese medicine has highlighted the tongue and its appearance as a way of knowing the general condition of another person. Like many other parts of the body, the physical and appearance changes that occur in them usually signify some disease or abnormal condition in the body.
The tongue has multiple functions, from detecting the taste of food and helping us swallow, to being essential for articulation and speech. That is why any change or ailment, such as red spots on the tongue, should be a cause for concern and a medical visit.
In the following FastlyHealarticle, red spots on the tongue: causes , we will explain what are the possible conditions and diseases that may be causing it.
Table of Contents
Red spots? It can be geographic language
Red spots on the tongue can appear painful or painless. Depending on whether they hurt, how they look, their shape and the time that has passed since their appearance, the diagnosis will be one or the other. Here we will give you some of the possible causes of red spots on the tongue.
In the condition known as geographic tongue , spots appear, like sores, in the form of red maps . In most of the patients with geographic tongue there are no symptoms, but on some occasions pain in the tongue may occur after consuming certain foods, especially spicy and hot foods.
Glossitis and red spots
Trauma, a fungal infection, a bacterial infection or overexposure to products that are harmful and aggressive to your tissue can lead to glossitis. This appears in the form of red spots, leaving the skin of the tongue smooth . In some cases, these symptoms can be aggravated, causing pain, wounds, sensitivity to hot and spicy products, and even loss of taste and bad breath.
Canker sores, causing red spots
Canker sores or mouth ulcers are viral infections that can cause pimples, blisters and red spots to appear in certain areas of the tongue. Although it is of viral origin, it is not very clear why they appear, although it has been shown that stress and anxiety aggravate the symptoms that cause red spots.
There is no specific treatment for canker sores, as it is a condition that, despite being very painful, heals itself over time.
Nutritional deficiency
An inadequate diet that does not provide the body with sufficient quantity and variety of nutrients to carry out its functions can manifest itself in many different ways, among these forms, we find the red tongue.
Unlike the other cases, here there are no spots, but it is the tongue in its entirety that becomes redder and slightly inflamed. Normally, the nutrients that the body is missing are iron, folic acid, B vitamins and bioflavonoids.
Other causes of red spots on the tongue
There are other underlying diseases that can manifest themselves through red spots on the tongue. Here we explain some of them:
Kawasaki syndrome
The Kawasaki syndrome is an autoimmune disease that occurs in young children. Although we do not know the exact cause of kawasaki syndrome, it is known to be genetic in origin. Although this disease requires hospitalization and surveillance, after a while they can recover their life normally.
Eczema
Allergies, little moisture on the skin of the tongue or excessive irritation create the perfect climate for the bacteria that live in our mouth to attack the tissues of the tongue and taste buds, causing these annoying red spots.
Asthma
The same reaction to allergens that causes other asthma symptoms in the respiratory system can also cause red spots on the skin. In this case, there is treatment and medication to alleviate these effects.
Treatment for red spots
Most cases of red tongue, either with total or partial spots, do not require any type of intervention, they have a benign diagnosis that improves with the passage of time. However, there are some tips that you can follow to prevent the disease from getting worse and in the future you have more serious problems:
- Brushing your teeth after every meal and maintaining good oral hygiene is essential for it to heal and not reproduce again.
- It is essential to use a tongue scraper after brushing your teeth.
- If it does not heal over time, you should go visit a specialist to find the right treatment for your case.
This article is merely informative, at FastlyHeal .com we do not have the power to prescribe medical treatments or make any type of diagnosis. We invite you to see a doctor in the case of presenting any type of condition or discomfort.
If you want to read more articles similar to Red spots on the tongue: causes , we recommend that you enter our category of Teeth and mouth .
I am a Surgeon with a diploma in comprehensive ultrasound and surgical care residency, an area I am specializing in. During the exercise of my profession, I have realized the need for patients to know the diseases they suffer, and I can tell you that a large part of their complications is due to a lack of information. Being a health web writer allows me to transmit my experience, without borders, to all those readers eager for knowledge, educate them in the prevention of diseases and promote a healthy lifestyle.