Associated symptoms
If pain at the tip of the tongue is caused by a burn with too hot drinks, the lips, palate or gums are often also affected. Typically, spot-like injuries of the mucous membrane appear, which, depending on the degree of scalding, only affects the uppermost layer of the mucous membrane to deeper layers. If, on the other hand, an ill-fitting denture is the cause of the pain, a blister can usually only be detected at one point at the beginning.
It is caused by constant friction at the sharp edge and will burst if the irritation continues. A characteristic feature is the punctual localization on the tongue. If the pain at the tip of the tongue is caused by systemic diseases, the accompanying symptoms are derived from the underlying disease.
A pronounced dry mouth would thus be typical of Sjögren’s syndrome. In the case of deficiency conditions such as anaemia due to iron deficiency, a parallel weakness and paleness would point the way forward. Our next topic could also be interesting for you: Big tongueIf pimples are observed on the tip of the tongue, they are usually pustules.
In most cases these are caused by an inflammation of the mucous membrane of the tongue due to tiny tears in its structure. A lack of oral hygiene favors the penetration of pathogens through these tiny cracks and leads to a local inflammatory reaction, which manifests itself in the tongue in a small blister formation. The fact that only the tip of the tongue is affected is often because it is the part of the tongue with the most contact surface with food or objects. If the pustules are present on the whole tongue, this is more likely to indicate a generalized infection with viruses. Especially when the palate is also affected, Coxsackie A viruses are suspected to be the cause.
Diagnosis
If there is pain at the tip of the tongue, the detailed anamnesis gives first indications of the cause. Especially the description of the pain character by the affected person often allows a first assumption. A burning sensation is more likely to indicate a deficiency and a stabbing pain is more likely to indicate an injury.
The subsequent inspection of the tongue will then additionally show whether it is a local event at the tip of the tongue or a phenomenon on the whole tongue or even in the whole oral cavity. Depending on the optical examination results, laboratory tests may then follow, which can reveal possible changes in blood values. Click here for the main article: Pain in the tongue
