Red spots on the tongue - causes and treatment methods

Publication date: 01/18/2021

Our tongue is the organ that the body uses to let us know when something wrong is happening. Problems with the stomach, heart, hormonal imbalance, fungal infection - everything is reflected in the tongue. Therefore, if red spots appear on it, you should not ignore them, this may be a signal of a serious problem.

Causes of the problem

A red spot on the tongue can be a manifestation of a variety of pathologies, for example:

• Vitamin deficiency
  Redness of the tongue is caused by a deficiency of B vitamins and niacin.

• Allergy
  Response to food, drinks, drugs

• The burn is
  not only thermal, but also chemical. The Internet is full of different, sometimes strange, advice. Experimenting on yourself can have sad consequences.

• Hormonal imbalance
  Red spots on the tongue often appear in women during pregnancy and menopause.

• Infections of various etiologies
  Bacteria and viruses provoke inflammatory processes, one of the symptoms of which is discoloration.

Red spots on the tongue are not yet a diagnosis. A doctor needs to conduct an examination to determine the exact cause.

Redness of the tongue may indicate various diseases.

What color is the pathological plaque?

By the color of the coating on the tongue, you can determine which organ malfunction caused it:

Diagnosis

It is difficult to independently distinguish relatively harmless manifestations of diseases in the form of red spots from serious disorders. Any rash on the tongue already indicates systemic problems, but some of them indicate serious cases.

Erythroplakia requires immediate surgical intervention. Therefore, it is better not to take the position “it will go away on its own,” but to consult a doctor.

Since spots on the tongue are a symptom of disease, examination is usually aimed at identifying the causes. Laboratory tests, flora tests, histology and medical history allow us to make the correct diagnosis and prescribe appropriate treatment.

Treatment

If injuries, allergies, or dyes have been ruled out, and the stains do not go away, it is important to begin proper treatment.

It is necessary to make an appointment with a dentist

, which will undertake to treat, for example, herpes, glossitis, stomatitis, and will remove benign formations in the oral cavity. If the spots are not associated with dental diseases, he will refer you to a pediatrician, general practitioner, gastroenterologist, cardiologist or oncologist.

Specialists may need tests and additional examinations. Only a doctor can determine the treatment protocol. Self-medication even when the most seemingly harmless spots appear is very dangerous.

After all, these can be cancerous tumors that require serious, long-term treatment, and most importantly, the earliest possible diagnosis

. Recovery requires a whole range of procedures including chemotherapy and ionizing radiation.

Spots associated with problems in the hematopoietic system and gastrointestinal tract can be cured only by addressing the cause. It can be determined by a gastroenterologist or hematologist after a special examination. This disease cannot be dealt with at home. It will only be a waste of time.

To get rid of pyogenic granuloma, doctors will suggest surgery, electrocoagulation or cryodestruction

. These methods lead to positive results.

Some people try to treat candidiasis on their own with rinses, decoctions, infusions and other folk recipes. Sometimes this is enough.

But it is usually necessary to take antifungal drugs orally, as well as vitamins and immunomodulators for general strengthening of the body, which should be determined and prescribed by a doctor.

You can get rid of leukoplakia by treating your teeth or removing foods with cutting edges from your diet. But, if part of the tongue, which was previously just red, becomes covered with keratinized particles, a precancerous condition has begun. We urgently need to order a voucher to see an oncologist.

“Bald” and “geographical language” cannot be returned to their previous state. This can be explained by the fact that the papillae and taste buds are not restored.

Allergic reactions in the form of redness on the tongue in children occur and are difficult to treat if parents introduce several new products at once. A special allergen is red food (cherries, strawberries, beets, watermelon, tomatoes, etc.).

Sticking your tongue out at your reflection in the mirror will lift your spirits and possibly save your life.

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Online consultation with a doctor if you are concerned about symptoms

If you are concerned about symptoms such as spots on the tongue, accompanied by burning, tingling, pain, then it is best to undergo an examination and consultation with a dentist. Because these may be signs of a more serious disease that should not be neglected, otherwise inaction will lead to the need for longer-term and more expensive treatment. Red spots on the surface of the tongue may indicate a fungal, viral, or venereal infection. It is often difficult to determine on your own what it is: glossitis, stomatitis, Kawasaki disease or something else. A specialist will help you understand the signs of the disease and etiology online. He will give professional recommendations, suggest treatment options and further actions.

Causes of pimples on the tongue

The main causes of rashes:

• Traumatic injuries, burns. It is not uncommon for the tip or side surface of the tongue to be damaged by cutlery, excessively hot food, or one’s own teeth.
• Weakened immunity. When pimples appear on the tongue closer to the throat, at its base or near the frenulum, this may indicate reduced immunity. A variety of pimples and bumps are localized here: condylomas and warts, candidal bumps.
• Development of benign and malignant tumors.
• Poor nutrition, bad habits. If you violate the rules of nutrition, excessive consumption of spicy, hot, rough foods, an irritating and traumatic effect on the mucous membrane occurs, which provokes the appearance of pimples. Excessive smoking and alcoholic libations also cause diseases of the mucous membranes in adults.
• The causes of lumps at the end and root of the tongue may be allergic. Allergic disease manifests itself not only on the skin, but also on mucous membranes.

Large bumps located close to the pharynx make it difficult to swallow food and can lead to breathing blockage.

• If pimples appear on the tongue closer to the larynx, they could be caused by various diseases of a chronic, viral and infectious nature.
• Neglect of hygiene rules. Eating unwashed foods and irregular oral hygiene not only in children, but also in adults, causes irritation of the mucous membrane and, as a result, the appearance of inflamed pimples.

Disease prevention

Dental measures include:

• Regular thorough oral care.

A properly selected toothbrush, constant flossing, and rinsing your mouth after eating will help avoid inflammatory processes.

• Use a toothpaste that suits the purpose at this stage. You cannot use whitening or medicinal pastes constantly, only in courses.

General preventive measures:

• Healthy lifestyle
• To give up smoking
• Regular medical examinations

Why do red dots appear?

Red dots on the tongue most often appear with stomatitis (inflammatory processes of the oral mucosa). There are quite a few direct causes of the development of stomatitis, but most often it is a viral infection, for example, of a herpetic nature.

Other factors also include pathogenic bacteria (streptococci, staphylococci), poor nutrition, fungi (for example, candidiasis), thermal or mechanical injuries, side effects of a number of medications, anemia, hormonal imbalance, decreased salivation, and dehydration.

The next common cause of red dots is allergies. It most often differs in food origin. You can suspect it when keeping a food diary. In this case, it is convenient to note the relationship between the appearance of a rash and the use of a specific product.

What are the reasons for red dots and white coating on the tongue? More on this below.

Expert opinion

Roman Borisovich Alekperov

orthopedic dentist

Experience: 24 years

Most often, red spots on the tongue are not accompanied by pain. A slight burning sensation or no symptoms at all creates a dangerous feeling that the problem will go away on its own. This can worsen the condition and cause serious consequences. If you have red spots on your tongue, consult a doctor. It is better to quickly take measures recommended by professionals than to spend a long time on treatment later.

Where to contact

Any dentist will be able to help with advice, but it is still better to contact multidisciplinary clinics. The larger the clinic, the more patients, which means the doctors’ experience is much wider. In addition, high-quality specialists are rarely seen in modest dentistry on the outskirts of the city; they mostly work in large centers. Another reason to contact a multidisciplinary center is that they pay great attention to improving the qualifications of doctors, including in therapeutic dentistry.

The table shows contacts of 5 clinics where you will be advised about red spots on the tongue.