The Tongue
Our tongue is located within the oral cavity. It has a very important role in the function of our body. Examination of the tongue may indicate presence of a systemic disease. Signs of anemia, nutritional deficiency and infectious diseases are seen in the tongue.
The tongue is also subject to developmental, traumatic, chemical, infectious and neoplastic influences. So, no matter how small this part is in our body, it needs a great attention.
What are the different characteristics and forms of a tongue and what could these characteristics signify?
1. A small tongue or microglossia or a large tongue or macroglossia, may occur as a result of developmental deviation, inflammation or neoplasms.
2. Fissured tongue may be congenital or may develop in Down syndrome – it may also be found in syphilis.
3. White or brown tongue coating may be seen in fever, stomatitis and mouth breathing. Some drugs or dyes and food that one eats may cause discoloration of the tongue too.
4. Strawberry tongue is seen in scarlet fever
5. Black hairy tongue (lingua nigra) is a condition characterized by elongation of the filiform papillae and accumulation of dark pigments. This kind of a tongue is common in vitamin deficiencies, anemias, leukemias and after antibiotic therapy
6. White hairy tongue has an elongation of the papillae but without discoloration
7. Geographic tongue – also called wandering rash or benign migratory glossitis is characterized by annular desquamation of the epithelium with white borders and this has no significance
8. Atrophic glossitis is seen in pernicious anemia