Sore Tongue - Anxiety/Allergy or something sinister

Joined
Sep 1, 2022
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7
Hi,

I've had an issue with my tongue for a while now where it gets quite sore. I was diagnosed with TMJ a while ago & when stressed (which has been a lot for a while now) I wake up with aching jaws. I am aware that I press tongue against teeth.

Tongue was occasionally very sore over summer. It lost about half of the buds covering, in patterns that would gradually change. Changing toothpaste to a non-lauryl sulphate brand seems to have helped. Before I switched, tip of tongue would usually be bright red & swollen. But it still occasionally burns, especially on the tips. It is burning again today down sides & at tip.

Was fine for about a week or so & I thought it was markedly improving, then it has seemed to flare again.

Bloods etc all normal. I did have COVID prior to onset of this in January.

I do occasionally have marks where teeth are, most notably where I have two upper molars missing.

I suffer from health anxiety & freaked myself out a while back when I looked up tongue issues & went on a Google trail that went marks on teeth -> macroglossia & then saw amyloidosis etc.... :(

Any opinion? Perfectly happy to be told this is normal & anxiety causes symptoms. I am borderline Generalised Anxiety Disorder diagnosis btw.

First two pics are after a tongue clean, third one is in morning before a clean. I get this yellow coating that comes off easily enough.
 

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honestdoc

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It appears you have a geographic tongue and what you're experiencing is unfortunately normal. I have the same experiences you are having. Best advice is to use the most basic toothpaste. If any new toothpaste seem irritating, don't use any that have too many additives like Peroxide, whitening, tartar control, cinnamon, etc. Try to minimize anything that irritates like citrus, acidic substances.
 

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Joined
Sep 1, 2022
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Thanks, much appreciated. Was the swollen feeling that I found disturbing but guess that's part of the fun.

I'm using the most basic of toothpaste but last couple of days had a nasty reaction to 1) beef flavour crisps & 2) red wine.

Really quite sore after those, always at tip & down sides. Then it catches on teeth & seems like a vicious circle.

Pretty sure stress plays a role....
 

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honestdoc

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It's very rare to get thrush (fungal infection) in the mouth unless you have 1 or more of these 4 D's...Drugs (antibiotics, medications), Diabetes, Debilitating, Dentures. Usually the tongue heals very quickly and I'll be surprised if it lasted more than 1 week.
 

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If usual treatment and precautions does not help , go for accupunture therapy ( clinical evidence are there in many dental literature recorded ) . It's helps alot . Only when this condition is chronic
 

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Thanks, I think it definitely is chronic unfortunately. What I was mega worried about was it being macroglossia as that can indicate horrendous conditions.

This pic is from today. General burning & dry mouth feeling back again, but I am feeling the anxiety big time again.

I do clench teeth & suspect you can see it in pics of teeth & jaw that have lumps on them.

Its just the risk of macroglossia that's worrying me in all honesty but I've been reassured that this isn't that.
 

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Joined
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Don't think or diagnose yourself

You have multiple factors as you stated GAD , DRY MOUTH etc so a perfect medical practitioner only can came to a conclusion.


As far as I am educated by my dentist, if it was he than he would do clinical examination with some blood work and serological investigation along with if required some radiology etc .


Get a proper discussion with your dentist or ENT. Diagnosis might take time but it will be ok . Do not Google search about it . Cause most of the time Google says wrong things and fuel up anxiety and stress
 

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