Dental and Oral Health (Adults)

Painful tongue 06/08/2009

Question:

i just came home from my vacation to florida and i noticed something strange was going on with my tongue. The tip of my tongue hurts really bad. it has tiny little red dots(bumps) on it and they burn whenever i eat something(due to the pain i haven`t eaten in 2 days.)or whenever i try to talk it hurts... i`m just trying to figure out whats wrong with my tongue and if there`s an over the counter medicine that i can take to soothe my tongue. Can you help me please?

Answer:

You should see your local dentist. Without examining your tongue, it would be impossible to say exactly what this is. If you are concerned, you should make an appointment to see your local dentist or an oral pathologist for evaluation. Over-the-counter sore throat sprays (Chloraseptic) or numbing ointments (Orabase, Ambesol) might help temporarily.

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Response by:

David Lee Hall, DDS Clinical Associate Professor of Primary Care College of Dentistry The Ohio State University