Hairy Tongue, Geographic Tongue, And Other Common Tongue Malformations

A large number of people will be born with tongue malformations that may seem pretty scary at first. The thing to remember about these conditions is that most of them are manageable without any real problem while others are completely treatable. Some tongue conditions may also be part of a genetic syndrome and will be associated with other symptoms that need to be attended to. 

What are the most common tongue malformations, and what do you need to know about them?

Tongue Tie Or Ankyloglossia  

If you raise your tongue, then you will notice a thin strip of tissue that is connecting the tongue to the floor of the mouth. In people who are suffering from tongue tie, this cord is connected towards the front of the tongue, preventing free movement. The result is a difficulty in talking and the development of speech defects that can sometimes take a long time to correct. Since the speech defect is the most obvious symptom of tongue tie, most children who have tongue tie are only diagnosed around the age when they start speaking.

The treatment for tongue tie includes a small surgical procedure called a frenectomy, in which this band of tissue is removed and the tongue is allowed to move freely. The next phase of the treatment will require speech therapy so that the tongue can be "retrained" into making the proper sounds.

Macroglossia

Another common developmental disorder that is seen is macroglossia, or a tongue that is larger than normal. Macroglossia can be associated with some syndromes like Down’s syndrome or it may occur individually on its own.

As the name suggests, the tongue is significantly larger than normal and this leads to a number of related problems. The tongue is actually one of the strongest muscles in our body and it constantly applies pressure to the teeth. This pressure is equalized by the cheeks under a normal situation, however in patients who have macroglossia, this equalization does not happen.

As a result, the teeth of the lower arch start to protrude outwards, spacing between the teeth appears, there is an inability to close the mouth completely, the lips may become incompetent, teeth are much more prone to develop periodontal disease and the teeth of the upper arch are also affected in a similar manner.

Apart from the dental problems, people who have macroglossia are also likely to suffer from mouth breathing and sleep apnea.

READ Differences between Sleep Apnea and Sleep Enuresis

The treatment for this condition is a lot more complicated than something like tongue tie for example. A surgical procedure to remove the size of the tongue needs to be undertaken. The tongue sees some of the most vital structures in the oral cavity pass through it and so this procedure is very technically demanding.  People may experience a loss of sensation and an alteration in taste after the procedure has been performed.

Orthodontic treatment to bring the teeth back into the normal position will be needed, which may or may not include a surgical component.

Fissured Tongue, Hairy Tongue And Geographic Tongue

Fissured Tongue

Even though the surface of the tongue appears smooth from afar, it is actually extremely rough and full of undulations. It is also formed by the confluence of three different structures which combine without leaving behind any signs, although a large percentage of the population have the presence of a few fissures. This is not problematic.

In a rarer cases, however, there are extremely deep fissures which run across the tongue. This allows bacteria, fungi and other micro-organisms to lodge deeply inside these fissures and multiply pretty much unencumbered.

Even though there is no other functional problem associated with a fissured tongue, it does make keeping good oral hygiene very difficult. People may complain of bad breath, whitish discoloration on the tongue and sometimes a burning sensation which makes eating spicy food quite difficult.

People often worry about the extent of fissuring actually increasing, which is completely unfounded and does not happen.

Hairy Tongue  

The topmost surface of the tongue is covered by papillae which play an important function in the taste sensation. There are different kinds of papillae with the most frequent being structures called filiform papillae. These filiform papillae are actually quite dark in color, however under normal conditions, they do not become apparent on casual observation.

The good part is that there is nothing to worry about. A hairy tongue is considered as a benign condition which does not affect any other part of the body. Certain studies have found that people with immune deficiencies are more prone to developing a hairy tongue than others.

Geographic Tongue                                            

This exotic-sounding tongue condition is also benign in nature. It involves a patch of whitish or reddish discoloration that appears on the tongue. The patch may disappear on its own after a certain period of time and may appear on a different part of the tongue later.

The exact reason for why this occurs is unknown. Some of the symptoms that have been associated with geographic tongue include an alteration in taste, reduction in the number of taste buds and a burning sensation on the tongue in response to spices.

The treatment only includes the use of topical agents that help reduce the symptoms as and when they appear. Observations have shown that a lot of people find that the geographic tongue heals on its own in the latter decades of life.

READ Pros and Cons of Tongue Piercing

Conclusion

The tongue is integral to so many functions that we take for granted in everyday life that whenever something goes wrong a whole cascade of events follows. Luckily, though, as has been mentioned above, a lot of the inherited conditions are quite easily managed or treated.