What causes red bumps on tongue? Explore on reasons for bumps on the back of your tongue, front, side, under, that hurt, sore throat and causes of white coating on tongue and how to get rid treatment.
Red bumps on tongue is a fairly irretentive but a normal tongue problem that can be caused by a variety of reasons. This condition is often associated by pain, burning sensation and swelling. In some cases a red bump on tongue can sometime be painless.
These type of bumps commonly appears red, cuts, and red spots and they can heal on their own. In this case, redness in tongue may be caused by hot or acidic foods or drinks normally disappear on their own within a couple of days. So long as you are not bent on aggravating the problem by following common precautionary steps.
However, the condition can also be formed by taste buds due to irritated taste buds caused by using of certain foods such as pineapple. Although, persistent bumps on tongue that are hard and painless may be indicative of oral cancer.
What doe it mean when you have Red Bumps on Tongue?
A healthy tongue is usually pink in color, at it remains covered with papillae that look like small nodules. Tongue bumps and sores can develop due to minor injury or irritation of taste buds. Harmless tongue sores may end up causing a lot of discomfort or pain while chewing food.
Tongue bumps or blisters can be white or red, and they can appear in cluster at times. Especially when they appear in larger size, they occur in cluster. In this condition they may develop pain, and a medical attention can be needed. Although, small or minor tongue bumps can disappear without any medical treatment.
The following are main causes:
Trauma and injury
Trauma or injury on the tongue can be the cause of tongue sores or blisters. The tongue can have an injury while eating some foods that have sharp edges, drinks, or acidic fruits such as pineapple, melon or hot foods. In most cases, vigorous brushing and biting can also develop sores on the tongue, and cause the taste buds or papillae to swell become inflamed.
Painful and swollen papillae appears like red bumps. These bumps can last for a couple of days depending on the injury. Adding to this, a lot of acidic and spicy foods can irritate the taste buds.
Cold sores
Fever blisters usually appears on the lips. But still they can occur in the oral cavity and on the tongue too. They look like swollen bumps. These bumps or blisters are caused by the herpes simplex virus type [HSV-1]. This viral infection is characterized by recurrences, as the virus gets active from time to time. The common factor that activate the virus are, fever, stress, and overexposure to sunlight.
Canker sores
Canker sores is another common type of bump that occurs in the oral cavity and the tongue. They are open blisters, and they are usually white or yellow in color. A bright red color covers the area. Stress, minor injuries, ill-fitting denture and braces, as well as nutritional deficiencies and gastrointestinal problems can be the cause of red bumps on tongue.
Allergic reactions
Tongue sores can be also caused by allergies, mostly food allergies. Food can cause allergic reaction in any part of the tongue, such as the back of the tongue. Sometimes, a reaction to acidic foods like citrus fruits can mess the taste buds, and end up causing ulcers on the tongue.
Hand, foot, and mouth disease
This is another viral disease that usually affects infants and children under 5 years of age. The disease is contagious, it causes mild fever, which is accompanied by a sore throat, and the appearance of maculoppular rash on the palms of hands and the soles of the feet. Painful sores or blisters can be formed in the oral cavity, including the tongue. This viral disease is usually caused by intestinal viruses like coxsackievirus or enterovirus.
Other possible causes
Tongue sores are also presumed to be accompanied with nutritional deficiencies, like deficiencies of vitamin B12, folic acid, zinc, and iron. And also hormonal changes can cause the development of red bumps on tongue. Mostly, tongue sores can be related with oral cancer. Sores or bumps caused by cancer usually appear on one side of the tongue, and they are painless and hard to touch.
Symptoms
Red bumps on tongue can be associated by pain or a burning sensation. The pain and the burning sensation caused by these bumps can give someone a very hard time especially while eating or chewing. Although, these symptoms disappears on their own within a period of time. In most cases, these bumps my not be painful, and when touched they may feel like hard lumps. This can result to a symptom of oral cancer. Note that tongue bumps that are caused by cancer usually appear on one side of the tongue, and on the floor of the mouth.
What Causes Red Bumps on Back of Tongue?
Red bumps on tongue may appear on the back of the tongue for some reasons. In most cases, some reasons are not very serious, it is a great idea to differentiate your bumps so that you can be able to take a step like seeking medical attention. That will also prepare you to notice some of serious signs that requires your doctor.
Fungiform papillae
The tongue is naturally surrounded by small pink bumps, these bumps are known as papillae and they usually show up when you have experienced some sort of trauma or irritation in the mouth. Eating very salty foods or sugary drinks can aggravate your taste buds and cause these bumps to form anywhere on the tongue.
Inflamed or enlarged papillae
Red bumps are also caused by inflamed papillae, this can be caused by eating hot foods, spicy foods and sugary drinks. An inflamed tongue is formed by swelling and so much pain and can only be controlled by taking over-the-counter painkillers.
Scarlet fever
This is an infection that is caused by streptococcal bacteria. This type of infection causes red bumps on tongue and throat, it can also be associated with other symptoms like high fever, sore throat, headache and nausea including others.it also affects other parts of the body such as upper parts of your chest, lips, inside your mouth and even the lower parts of the tongue. However, this infection can be treated using antibiotics, but remember if the symptoms persist seek medical advice.
Strawberry tongue
This is also a condition that causes red bumps on tongue, strawberry tongue causes the tongue to change its normal color from pink to red. It also cause the taste buds to become swollen or inflamed.
Geographic tongue
It is also known as oral erythema migrans or benign migratory. It is a condition that develops red patches with a white line to form on the surface of the tongue. It interfere sensitivity of the tongue to certain foods and drinks. This patches usually go away on their own within 1 to 4 weeks and may also re-appear on a different part of the tongue. Visit a medical doctor if this condition persistence for a long period of time.
Digestive disorders
There are various digestive disorders that can cause red bumps to appear on your tongue. Acid reflux is one of the most common digestive condition that leads to red bumps on the tongue when it is regurgitated from the stomach to the tongue surface. You can also go through other symptoms such as heartburn, hiccups, or bloating.
Circumvallate papillae
When red bumps appear on the back of your tongue, they appears larger than the other parts on the tongue and they are known as circumvallate papillae. Research shows that these bumps are always present in the back of the throat, they occur slightly red and form a V-shape that points backward. Although, when you have a cold, sore throat or an infection of some sort, these type of bumps may be developing from time to time.
Other related causes of red bumps on back of tongue
In most cases, the red bump on the back of your tongue can be sores, the causes of these sores are not serious. But a few possible causes such as infections, canker sores, allergic reactions, and even oral herpes. Researchers have said that bumps on both sides of the tongue are common and usually harmless, while bumps that appear on only one side, if they are not caused by irritation, have the possibility of having a serious case such as cancer.
Signs that requires medical attention
These red bumps on the back of your tongue are nothing to worry about, there are some reasons that can make you to seek advice from your doctor. Especially if the bumps last more than two weeks and continue to grow bigger, you should see a doctor for treatment. Also if this bumps bleed or you feel much pain while eating or chewing, talk to your physician.
Home remedies
You can get rid of these bumps faster or at least heal the condition permanently by using over-the-counter oral gel to numb the bumps, avoiding irritating substances like hot, salty, and spicy foods and even acidic foods and drinks. Rinse your mouth with warm salty water, do this several times a day and also maintain proper oral hygiene to keep your mouth clean and an ideal environment for quick and suitable result.
Can you get Red Bumps on front of Tongue
The tongue is the one of very important organ in human’s body, including eating, speaking and tasting things. It is a type of muscle that covered with a protective membrane, and small white bumps on the front of the tongue may interrupte with eating or speaking. If the bumps develop pain or grow larger, it will not be easy for you to taste food. Bumps on the tip of the tongue can appear due to several reasons.
Thrush
It is an overgrowth of a fungus known as candida in the mouth can cause oral thrush. A condition that resulting to red patches and bumps in front of your tongue. In some people experience some amount of candida in the mouth, but in some reasons like illness or a weakened immune system, can cause the bump to overgrow. Red or white bumps appear on the tongue and may occur on the gums or inside of the cheeks too. Do not be tempted to scrap this bumps on your tongue because you may cause bleeding.
Which STD Causes Red Bumps on your Tongue
Experiencing red bump on tongue may sometimes become worrisome especially if it is a result of STDs or oral cancer. Before you take any step, it is advisable to visit your doctor for examination to check up the main cause of your problem. We will explain to you some of the causes of this red bump under tongue condition.
Viral infections
Viral infections including oral herpes simplex virus a cluster of red and painful bumps on the various parts of the mouth such as the mouth, lips, or tongue. Resulting of viral infection usually occurs after having unprotected or oral sex with an infected person.
This condition appears within a period of 7 to 10 days. Taking anti-viral drugs will not help to treat this infection but it can help to relieve the symptoms and fastens the healing process, herpes simplex virus can also affect other parts of your body not only mouth but also private parts.
Syphilis
In some cases, sores that develop inside the oral cavity can be accompanied by syphilis. the condition caused by syphilis is described as a firm and hard sore, hard to touch, the sore mostly develops in the genital area and the rectum, but also it can develop[ in the oral cavity as well.
Syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease [STD] caused by the treponema pallidum. This disease can affect several parts of the body, including the vital organs like the heart and the nervous system.
Red Bumps on Tongue and Sore Throat Meaning
In most cases, red bumps on tongue that accompanied with sore throat are usually result to further symptoms, but it does not mean that you have strep throat. Mostly, a sore throat is a precursor to a common cold or other viral illness. A sore throat has unique signs such as red bumps on the tongue or in the back of the throat that can inform you if there is a viral, including cold, or bacterial, like strep throat.
Symptoms
You may experience symptoms are developing from a bacteria apart from a virus. The following are some of the signs you may notice.
- Sore, swollen, red throat, and tonsils
- Swollen uvula
- Tiny red bumps on the back of the throat, tongue, and tonsils
- Red bumps in the back of the throat
- Gray, furry film on the tongue and they can give the tongue a white appearance
Note: if you have some or all of these symptoms, I advise you to seek medical professionals from the health center.
What does it mean when your Tongue is White with Red Spots
A tongue is described as a muscle covered by mucous membrane, which can make it susceptible to bacteria and virus infection. This is visible by color changes, sores and bumps on the tongue as common problems, but they are rarely the sign of a serious condition. In numerous occasions, these conditions are usually harmless and can be controlled by common home remedies.
Food particles, dead skin cells and bacteria can cling to the tongue causing it to have a whitish color. The small projections on the tongue called papillae may swell, making it easier for bacteria to become trapped between them.
Smoking, excess drinking, dehydration, fever, burning your tongue and breathing through your mouth can cause the papillae to swell.
Bumps that appear at the back of the tongue are often inflamed papillae. The geographic tongue condition that causes white bumps over the tongue, with smooth patches in between. This condition is believed to be genetically inherited, though the real cause is not known.
The other cause of the white coat on tongue is canker sores from a viral infection, oral thrush, a fungal infection and leukoplakia, a precancerous lesion seen in people who use tobacco.
How to Treat white coating and red bumps on tongue at home
- Take in much water to avoid dehydration and brush your tongue with a tongue scraper daily to help get rid of surface debris and bacteria to get rid of white tongue.
- Avoid alcohol and use of tobacco while your tongue is in the healing process.
- If the red bumps on your tongue are associated with pain, such as canker sores or inflamed papillae, avoid spicy foods and gargle warm salt water or hydrogen peroxide to relieve pain.
- An over the counter pain reliever such as ibuprofen may also help. Eating natural yogurt which is sugar free, can help clear up the fungal infections faster.
Medical treatment
Visit your dentist on red bumps on tongue problems if they are painful or if the tongue appear white for more than two weeks. White tongue problems are mostly not severe and go away on their own. A persistent discolored tongues or bumps may be a sign of a medical condition which require fast attention. This is because the lesions can be precancerous.
How to Get Rid of Red Bumps on Tongue
A layer of small bumps called papillae occupy the tongue surface. According to research findings, the papillae provide a home for the taste buds, which reside between papillae. Several conditions may result to changes in the tongue’s appearance, including herpes and oral lichen planus.
In case you realize large, painful bumps on your tongue, you may have developed mouth ulcers, also known as canker sores.
Steps for clearing Tongue Bumps
Steps 1
You have to carry out effective daily oral hygiene without fail. Doing it after every meal will not be a bad idea. Brushing your tongue with your toothbrush is an important and simple way you can reduce the severity of the canker sore symptoms.
Step 2
Gently scape the tongue using a tongue scraper, as this will help to remove the food particles from the area around the canker sores and keep the tongue clean.
Step 3
With the use of topical antihistamine ointment, soothe your tongue to reduce the irritation of the canker sores. This is done by rubbing the ointment directly onto the sore, in a gentle manner to prevent hurting it.
Step 4
Stop using spices or avoid eating spicy foods until the red bumps on tongue are healed. Also be sure to watch the temperature of the foods and drinks going into your mouth. This is because heat can cause the pain to increase.
Step 5
Talk to your doctor or health care provider if three or more weeks have gone without seeing any improvement to your canker sore. Moreover, if you realize this condition keeps on reoccurring on your tongue, a physician will be the best to offer you help.