Tongue ulcer ‐ Causes‚ Symptoms & Treatment

Open cuts or sores on the tongue are referred to as Tongue ulcers. Usually, tongue ulcers are painful and can be troubled by drinking and eating. A canker sore is one of the common types of tongue ulcers which may appear for an unknown cause or be connected to several various irritants.

Causes of Tongue ulcers

Tongue ulcers occur due to various conditions such as viral infections, oral cancer, or tongue injury. Finding and treating the hidden cause of tongue ulcers will help to cure the sores. Over-the-counter treatments will help relieve pain in mild cases and for some cases developing good oral hygiene will help resolve tongue ulcers.

Some of causes of tongue ulcers due to infections are:

• Canker sores – a small, shallow wound.

• Gingivostomatitis – a bacteria or viral mouth infection.

• Oral lichen planus – an immune system disorder that even leads to oral cancer.

• Oral thrush – an infection on the tongue surface occurs due to a fungus called candida.

• Herpes – Simplex infection – a virus causing infectious sores on the genitals or over the mouth.

Diseases that lead to tongue ulcers:

• Lupus – an autoimmune disease

• Behcet’s syndrome – an inflammation of blood vessels that is spread widely.

• Crohn’s disease – inflammation in the bowel.

Other causes include:

1. Tongue biting
2. Poor oral hygiene
3. Tongue injury and
4. Chronic tongue irritation

Leaving tongue ulcers untreated may lead to secondary infection, or oral cancer may spread to other body parts. If tongue ulcers occur due to an infection and not treated, it may spread to other people also.

Seek timely medical care if you notice tongue ulcers persistently because this may be a symptom of serious problems like oral cancer or infection.