Burning tongue
If your mouth or tongue feels burnt or scalded, it could be a condition known as burning mouth syndrome. This condition isn’t harmful, but it can be uncomfortable. Burning mouth syndrome can affect anyone, but it’s most common in postmenopausal people.
Enlarged tongue (macroglossia)
The average tongue is approximately 3 inches long and about 2.52 inches wide. An enlarged tongue may be associated with trauma, inflammatory conditions or certain health issues like primary amyloidosis (a rare disorder in which clumps of abnormal proteins build up in your organs and tissues).
Bald tongue (atrophic glossitis)
With this condition, your tongue loses its bumpy texture and appears completely smooth. Bald tongue may be a symptom of anemia or a vitamin B deficiency.
Cold sores
While cold sores most often develop on your lips, they can also appear on your tongue. Cold sores are caused by the highly contagious herpes simplex virus.
Changes in color
If your tongue is discolored, it could be a sign of an underlying problem.
- White tongue: White patches on your tongue could indicate thrush, lichen planus, leukoplakia or other conditions.
- Red or purple tongue: If your tongue is red or purple in color, it could be related to harmless conditions like geographic tongue. But it could also be a symptom of vitamin deficiencies, scarlet fever or Kawasaki disease.
- Black tongue: If your tongue is yellow, brown or black, it could be a condition called black hairy tongue. Despite its strange name, people with black hairy tongue don’t really have hair on their tongues. This condition happens when bacteria, food and other debris build up on your tongue’s filiform papillae.
- Yellow tongue: A yellow tongue is usually the result of bacterial overgrowth, eating certain foods or smoking. In some cases, yellow tongue may be a symptom of an underlying condition, such as psoriasis or, rarely, jaundice.
