Glossitis is a condition marked by swollen tongue and change in color of the tongue. It can happen due to many reasons like ulcer, allergic reaction and eating hot foods etc. The feature of glossitis is the characteristic color change of the tongue making it unusually red in color and for this reason this disorder is called burning tongue syndrome.
Tongue has many muscles and soft tissues and the upper surface has small bump like structure called papillae which helps in gripping the food helping you to chew. During glossitis, there will be chronic inflammation of the papillae creating discomfort in eating, swallowing and even talking. In severe cases, this problem can block the airway and can cause breathing problems too.
Glossitis Causes :
The tongue becomes swollen and red due to many factors. It can change color due to bacterial or viral infection like oral herpes simplex. Sometimes, there can be injury to the tongue when sharp objects of dental procedures are used. It can be due to dryness of mouth or siogren syndrome in which the salivary glands are disturbed. Skin infections like erytheme multiform, aphthous ulcers, syphilis and oral lichen planus can cause swollen tongue.
It can also occur due to consumption of hot and spicy foods or eating too much of tobacco products. Consumption of alcohol can also bring about change in tongue color. It can be due to allergic reactions when you change toothpaste or use new mouthwash.
Certain underlying medical conditions like iron deficiency, vitamin B deficiency may cause swollen tongue. Taking ACE inhibitor drugs for long period can cause this problem. It can also occur due to simple yeast infection in your mouth.