Red bumps and pimples on the tongue: why they appear at the throat and root of the tongue, how to treat

The tongue performs an important function in the human body. It can rightfully be considered a litmus test indicating the state of health. The slightest changes in the mucous membrane of this organ signal possible disturbances in the functioning of internal organs or diseases of the oral cavity.

2 Where are red pimples on the tongue located?
3 Causes of red pimples and pimples on the tongue
4 How to carry out treatment?
5 Conclusion

What is this problem?

Red pimples and pimples on the tongue are formed due to enlargement of the papillae. Hypertrophy and redness of the latter occurs as a result of tissue desquamation .

If the mucous membrane of the tongue is covered with plaque and red pimples, then you should not put off visiting a doctor, otherwise the problem may become serious.

The first step is to find out in which area the pimple has formed, because the tongue is a suitable place for the growth of most bacteria.

In order to visually detect the inflamed area, the simplest method is suitable: carefully examine this muscular organ for the appearance of red pimples.

Several foci of inflammation can be detected at once, for example, red or white pimples may appear on the surface of the tongue, and each of them has its own cause and etiology.

Why do they appear?

As already mentioned, there are no sebaceous glands on the tongue, so “pimples” cannot appear on it in principle. After all, a pimple is an inflammation of the sebaceous gland. But the bumps and nodules that sometimes appear on the surface are very similar in appearance to pimples, which is why they got that name. Pimples under the tongue or on the tip cause a lot of trouble and are extremely painful. Let's consider the reasons for their appearance.

Mechanical damage

Often, in the process of chewing or biting food, we bite our tongue, resulting in a slight mechanical injury. The risk of surface damage increases when consuming hard foods with sharp edges (crackers, chips, seeds). A small painful swelling or bump forms at the site of the injury, which after some time turns into a white pimple. The pain intensifies while eating. With severe mechanical damage, slight swelling may occur.

You should exclude spicy and hot foods from your diet, carefully monitor oral hygiene, and after a few days the pimple will disappear on its own.

Allergic reaction

The appearance of pimples on the tongue may indicate an allergic reaction to food, medicine or toothpaste. In this case, small white pimples and sores form, which hurt and irritate when eating or drinking liquid.

If your doctor suspects an allergy, it is very important to identify the allergen and eliminate it from your diet. First of all, you should stop chewing gum, change toothpaste and tooth elixir - you may be allergic to oral hygiene products. If these measures do not bring the desired result, you need to analyze whether you have recently taken medications. Pimples on the tongue after antibiotics and other medications are a common occurrence. In this case, you should consult your doctor and stop taking the drug or try replacing it with another one.

If the cause of acne is a food allergy, you need to track what foods they appear after and eliminate these foods from your diet.

Stomatitis

Stomatitis is a common cause of white or red pimples on the surface of the tongue. The main cause of stomatitis is insufficient oral hygiene, exposure to pathogenic bacteria on the mucous membranes due to dirty hands, unwashed fruits and vegetables. Most often, children suffer from stomatitis, because they tend to put everything in their mouth.

With stomatitis, small white, pink or red pimples appear on the surface of the tongue and other mucous membranes of the mouth, which burn, irritate and hurt not only during eating, but also at rest. It is sometimes difficult not only to eat, but also to talk or simply swallow saliva. Small pimples under the tongue or at the root cause severe discomfort.

At the first suspicion of stomatitis, you should consult a doctor, he will prescribe medications that relieve itching and soreness of the tongue, as well as promote the speedy healing of ulcers and pimples.

Herpes

The herpes virus most often affects the area around the lips. However, this is not the only place where it is localized; herpes can affect all mucous surfaces of the human body, including the oral cavity. In this case, one or more watery pimples may appear on the tongue and inner surface of the cheeks. Many people do not pay enough attention to the herpes virus, believing that it will go away on its own. In fact, this is not such a harmless disease.

Without proper treatment, herpes can eventually affect the entire body, including the brain. Therefore, if you have a herpes virus, you should consult a doctor and undergo a course of antiherpetic therapy.

Poor nutrition

If you eat too much spicy and hot food, inflammation of the tongue, or glossitis, may occur. The papillae on the surface of the tongue are constantly irritated by hot or spicy foods, which leads to their inflammation. If your diet constantly contains spicy foods, inflammation can become chronic.

Drinking alcohol in large quantities, as well as smoking, can cause inflammation of the tongue. Therefore, when the first problems appear, you should immediately try to get rid of bad habits.

Pathologies of the patient's internal organs

Pimples on the surface of the tongue can be a manifestation of various diseases, including candidiasis or tuberculosis. Therefore, you should not take the appearance of small pimples lightly. Be sure to monitor their behavior. If a pimple does not go away for a long time, be sure to consult a doctor.

Weakened immunity

If the immune system is weakened as a result of a previous illness or due to a lack of vitamins and microelements, small painful pimples may appear on the surface of the tongue. If there are no other reasons for their appearance, you should contact an immunologist to check the state of the immune system. If malfunctions are detected in its functioning, it is necessary to take immunomodulators, as well as drugs with lactobacilli to normalize intestinal function and correct the activity of the immune system.

Where are red pimples on the tongue located?

The following options for acne location are possible:

The pimple affects the tip. The reasons for the formation are varied; many factors provoke the appearance of red pimples in this area.
Pimples on the tongue closer to the throat. Red rashes, as a rule, are located closer to the base of the throat and the root of the tongue; they are almost impossible to see without an additional light source.
Red pimples may appear on the tongue on the inside, as well as on the side of the frenulum. Acne covers different lower zones, but such a clinical manifestation occurs in rare cases.

Location: on the base

Pimples at the base of the tongue interfere with swallowing and even speaking, they hurt and cause a lot of trouble. The reasons for their appearance can be very diverse. It could be stomatitis, a fungal infection, a sore throat or pharyngitis. Only an experienced doctor can make a correct diagnosis. We can only suggest what you should pay attention to.

If a pimple appears on the base of the tongue, you should carefully analyze other symptoms - fever, enlarged lymph nodes, the presence of allergic reactions. For example, with a sore throat, pimples form in the throat quite often. They are painful, make swallowing difficult and cause pain when talking. In this case, the patient also has enlarged tonsils and submandibular lymph nodes, and an elevated temperature. As a matter of fact, acne and fever almost always occur either with a sore throat, or with tonsillitis or pharyngitis.

It is undesirable to ignore pimples on the tongue near the throat, since in particularly advanced cases they can interfere with breathing, which can lead to suffocation. Therefore, having discovered them in yourself, you need to contact an ENT specialist for a diagnosis.

Causes of red pimples and pimples on the tongue

A thorough visual examination of the inflamed organ is necessary in order to make an accurate diagnosis and conclude that the redness was caused by a pimple. It should be clarified that the occurrence of painful sensations is not associated with mechanical damage received during food intake. You should also make sure that there is no stomatitis, fungal or other infectious diseases of the oral cavity that affect the tongue.

When the papillae on the tongue become inflamed, they increase in size and become red, and they become painful, especially when touched or exposed to food. Popularly, such pimples are called “pipun”. Causes of inflammation:

Chemical burn due to exposure of aggressive acids or concentrated alkalis to the oral cavity.
Chemical trauma that a person receives when dissolving certain tablets. The risk of chemical injury due to the tablet form of medications increases if the dose exceeds the recommended limit.
Thermal burns caused by hot drinks or hot dishes.
Puncture or cut by bone
Injury to tongue tissue by dentures.

It is important to reduce the inflammatory process as quickly as possible and stimulate regenerative mechanisms in the tissues of the affected organ. To exclude the presence of an infectious agent as the culprit in the appearance of a red pimple, scraping is required . With its help, a medical professional identifies a pathogenic microorganism, which subsequently makes it possible to prescribe adequate treatment.

There are many reasons for the appearance of red rashes on the tongue:

Allergic reaction. The allergic nature of the pathology gives a signal about the presence of allergens in oral hygiene products: toothpaste, brush, mouthwash. Allergies can get worse when you eat certain foods.
Red or white pimples are one of the obvious symptoms of stomatitis. The mucous membrane of the mouth becomes inflamed under the influence of viruses and bacteria. The classification of stomatitis is based on the causative agent of the disease. If stomatitis appears due to non-compliance with hygiene rules, then it will not be difficult to cure it. For this purpose, antibacterial drugs are actively used to sanitize the oral cavity. The help of a dentist is required when the number of inflamed acne increases rapidly.
Vitamin deficiency. Vitamin deficiencies are a common cause of tongue problems. Lack of B vitamins and folic acid in the body has a detrimental effect. The taste buds turn bright red.
Granular pharyngitis. Pimples are found on the tongue closer to the throat. The disease is characterized by chronic inflammation of the mucous membranes of the larynx. The back of the throat becomes covered with red blisters, sometimes moving to the tongue. Pharyngitis often occurs after a cold or sore throat.
Immunosuppressive conditions.
Digestive problems and dysbiosis, marked by disruption of intestinal microflora and poor absorption of nutrients. For this reason, pimples may appear on the base of the tongue.
Glossitis. The disease does not affect the mucous membrane of the mouth, only the tongue becomes inflamed. Often occurs due to trauma to the tongue by a tooth or denture. A deviation can develop in the absence of proper oral care due to bad habits. Glossitis can appear against the background of problems with the gastrointestinal tract, anemia and a number of infectious diseases. A mild form of the pathology is characterized by symptoms of stomatitis, that is, red blisters are noticeable on the tongue. The deep form is complicated by ulcers and phlegmon.
Thrush. Infection of the oral cavity by fungi is called candidiasis. The disease makes itself felt when a person’s immune functions are weakened or a disruption occurs in the functioning of organ systems. Along with increased dryness of the mouth and throat, pimples may appear on the tongue.
Impetigo. The streptococcal infection penetrates the root of the tongue and causes the formation of superficial blisters containing clear fluid.
Pyogenic granuloma. In rare episodes, it manifests itself on the tongue in the form of red nodules consisting of blood vessels in the area where there used to be a wound.
Exudative erythema. The patient complains of red spots and blisters over the entire surface of the tongue. Once ruptured, the blisters leave long-healing ulcers. The reason lies in pathogenic microbes.
Scarlet fever. It is characterized by inflammation of the entire oral cavity, red pimples affect the tonsils and appear on the tongue.

Methods for diagnosing tongue cancer

Examination of the tongue and oral cavity
Diagnosis of tongue cancer involves a comprehensive examination, which includes the following manipulations:

Examination of the oral cavity.
Palpation of the tumor and areas of regional lymph nodes.
Verification of diagnosis using cytological examination. To do this, a puncture biopsy and/or impression smears from the tumor are taken.
MRI - evaluates the soft tissues of the head and neck, as well as the degree of tumor invasion in them.
CT with contrast - helps to evaluate the presence of cancer growth in the bones, in particular in the lower jaw.
Ultrasound examination of the area of regional metastasis can identify metastases.

According to indications, endoscopic examination of the pharynx, chest x-ray and other diagnostic methods can be performed, which are aimed at clarifying the extent of the malignant process and detecting distant metastases. [3.6]

How to carry out treatment?

How to treat inflammation on the tongue? What will help remove painful acne that causes a lot of inconvenience? If the red pimples are caused by an illness and home conditions do not allow it to be diagnosed, then it is best to see a dentist or otolaryngologist .
The specialist will conduct the necessary laboratory tests and identify the cause of the disease.

For treatment, the patient may be prescribed medications such as pyridoxine, fungizone, monistat, nystatin. You should be careful and not forget that self-medication usually does not give the desired result, and sometimes aggravates the process.

Recommendations that will help alleviate the patient’s condition until medical help:

Try not to injure the irritated oral cavity.
Do not overuse coffee or hot tea.
Quit smoking and do not drink alcoholic beverages
Avoid too hot foods, eat spicy and salty foods as little as possible, limit the amount of sugar and seasonings.
Rinse the mouth with antiseptic solutions, potassium permanganate, chlorhexidine. You can use traditional medicine recipes and rinse your mouth with infusions of medicinal plants: chamomile, calendula, sage. Carry out the procedure before going to bed and after waking up, as well as after eating.
A fungal infection, as the cause of the appearance of red pimples on the tongue, can be eliminated by rinsing with a soda solution or some antifungal drug, for example, nystatin.
If the cause of the formation of blisters lies in a viral or bacterial infection, then self-treatment can harm the patient, so you can only relieve unpleasant symptoms by rinsing and drinking plenty of fluids.

Situations that should force a patient to seek medical help:

If, in parallel with the appearance of pimples on the tongue, red spots and pimples appear on the body
Body temperature rises.
The pimples itch and begin to hurt, causing discomfort.
There is swelling of the gums, lips or palate.

After examining the patient, the doctor may prescribe:

For allergic genesis of pimples on the tongue, it is recommended to take antihistamines
Antiseptics are prescribed to speed up wound healing
Probiotics are prescribed to eliminate dysbiosis
Antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drugs to destroy bacteriological pathogens.

Treatment of tongue cancer

The following methods are used to treat tongue cancer:

Surgical intervention.
Radiation therapy.
Chemoradiation therapy.

Surgery is the main radical treatment method. In this case, preference is given to organ-preserving operations so that a person can talk, chew food and swallow it. The extent of the operation will depend on the size of the tumor and the involvement of surrounding tissues in the process. In some cases, it may be necessary to remove tissue from the floor of the mouth, resection of the jaw, and even complete removal of the tongue. If metastases are present, the lymph nodes in the neck are removed at the same time. To cover the resulting defects, skin flaps are used; for jaw plastic surgery, fragments of ribs, fibula, or artificial implants are used.

Surgery for tongue cancer

For large tumors or in the presence of unfavorable histological factors, combined interventions are performed. In such cases, radiation therapy is performed after surgery. In some situations, it is possible to carry out radiation therapy as an independent treatment method. In this case, the irradiation zone includes the tumor itself and the area of regional metastasis.

In the presence of distant metastases, positive resection margins, perineural invasion and other unfavorable factors, chemoradiotherapy is performed after surgery. [8]

When carrying out systemic therapy followed by chemoradiotherapy, the following chemotherapy drugs are used:

Cisplatin (preferably) as monotherapy.
Cetuximab as monotherapy.
Carboplatin + fluorouracil.
Fluorouracil + hydroxyurea.
Cisplatin + paclitaxel.
Cisplatin + fluorouracil.
Carboplatin + paclitaxel.

If simultaneous chemoradiotherapy is indicated, cisplatin + radiation therapy to the primary lesion of at least 70 Gy is used.

For anti-relapse chemotherapy, the following combinations of drugs can be used:

Docetaxel + cetuximab. In the absence of progression, therapy with cetuximab is continued.
Paclitaxel + carboplatin + cetuximab. In the absence of disease progression, treatment is also continued with cetuximab.

2nd line chemotherapy may include one of the regimens listed above, and it is also possible to add nivolumab, pembrolizumab, afatinib. [1]

Large white bumps

Everyone should be concerned if they notice the presence of large pimples or bumps in the mouth. Especially if they have signs of bleeding and are accompanied by constant pain. Such growths in the mouth, the symptoms of which last longer than a week, can be a dangerous sign of oral health.

White bumps on the base of the tongue may be ulcers if they cause discomfort or pain. If they are painless and flat, you need to go for a diagnosis of oral cancer, because this is one of its signs. Early signs of cancer can be mistaken for dental problems - it is important to rule out the wrong ones.

Home and folk remedies and methods

Depending on other associated symptoms in the mouth and throat, recommendations can be made to eliminate them.

Regular oral cleaning

Suffering from any kind of tongue problem cannot justify stopping the practice of hygiene procedures. On the contrary, regular cleaning of the oral cavity is even more necessary to fight microorganisms that accumulate there. Proper brushing will also help end bad breath.

Remedies for ulcers and wounds

Mouth ulcers are accompanied by pain. Therefore, hot and spicy foods should be avoided. Most meals for people with this problem should consist of liquid foods and drinks until the sores improve or are completely healed. Some of the tools will be useful to apply:

Clove or coconut oil for applying to sores.
A solution of aloe juice and honey for periodic mouth rinsing.
A sage solution to rinse your mouth with once a day.

A warm saline solution can be used to relieve pain, but salt should not be placed directly on the sores. If this does not help, then you need to see a doctor so that he can prescribe a pain reliever.

Location: at the tip

A white pimple on the tip of the tongue can appear at the site of a microtrauma as a result of an infection entering the wound. Fans of chips, seeds, pistachios and other nuts are especially susceptible to developing pimples on the tip of the tongue. Solid foods scratch the delicate tip of the tongue, causing pathogenic bacteria to enter the wound, causing it to become inflamed and painful.

Often a pimple occurs due to an exacerbation of the herpes simplex virus against the background of decreased immunity. In this case, strengthen your immune system and take vitamin complexes. But in any case, consult a doctor and get tested to make an accurate diagnosis.

Also, a pimple can pop out due to chronic stomatitis. If the patient has a weakened immune system and has carious teeth, persistent infection in the oral cavity sooner or later leads to stomatitis. Without timely treatment, it can become chronic, periodically exacerbating.