Bumps on Tongue

Tiny bumps on an individual’s tongue develop for an assortment of reasons. Most of the reasons are not anything to worry about, but some bumps signal a need to seek medical attention.

Causes of Bumps on Tongue

Most of the tiny red bumps that are on the tongue are referred to as papillae, and they cover the total surface of the tongue. Most of them have taste buds which are the receptor organs for detecting tastes and then send the information back to the brain. Without these taste buds, an individual would not be able to tell the difference between bitter, sour, sweet and salty taste. If the taste buds are exposed to food that is too sour or too hot, they can swell.

Causes of abnormal or irritating bumps on the tongue include:

• Oral herpes simplex virus complex
• Allergy reactions
• Syphilis in early stages
• Canker sores
• Tuberculosis
• Bacterial infections
• Immune disorders
• Smoking

Others can include:

Cancer

If the bumps are on only one side of the tongue, there is a chance that they can be cancerous and need to be checked out. Another sign of cancer can be sores or lumps that are red or white, or hard lumps, especially if they are painless. Cancer almost never occurs on the top of the tongue but rather on the mouth floor or the sides of the tongue. But, there is an exception to this which is that is if an individual suffers from syphilis that is left untreated – that can trigger cancer on the top of the tongue.

Fibroma

This is a variety of bumps on the tongue which is a condition that is benign. A fibroma is a bump that forms from connective tissues, and mainly develops after some trauma, for instance biting the tongue accidentally. Bumps such as these do not change and can stay for years.

Thrush

This is oral Candidiasis and can infect many areas besides the mouth. When it does occur in the mouth, it appears as patches that are curd-like. Also, they can appear even on the tongue as well as the inner cheek surfaces. Oral thrush spreads like a paste that is creamy and can cover not only the tongue but the whole mouth.

Oral herpes

This develops in cases where there is unprotected oral sex and causes sores to grow on the front of the tongue and also inside of the cheek. These lesions of oral herpes are yellow or clear colored. These blisters or bumps are packed tightly and sit upon an irritated, red base.

Bumps on Tongue Treatment

If something unusual develops on the tongue and it bothers you, either mentally or physically, be cautious and consult your physician to find out if the problem is severe or needs any medical treatment.

The treatment suggested by your doctor depends on the cause of the bumps, and that is something your doctor will need to diagnose for you. At that time, the treatment that is best for the problem will be advised.

In the case of fibroma or any other bumps, they can be removed, or scrapings of cells can be taken and often that is considered the best option so that the tissue can be sent to the lab for testing to make sure what the bump is.

Bumps on Tongue Pictures