The tongue is probably one of the most significant organs in the body that most people use daily to taste, chew, swallow and speak. Like your heart, the tongue is always at work in the body. Even when you sleep, your tongue helps force saliva down your throat. It also helps promote clear breathing by keeping airways open and unobstructed.
While not the strongest muscle in the body, your tongue is still an excellent health meter — even the color can tell you a lot about your health. For example, a white tongue can indicate the presence of a fungal infection. A pinkish-red tongue is a healthy hue you’ll see most of the time. A purple tongue can mean poor circulation. Your tongue, a collection of different muscles, does far more than simply indicate health.
Anatomy of the tongue
The tongue is more than a single muscle. It is made of eight different muscles — four of which exist inside the tongue and the other four exist outside. Together, these muscles allow the tongue to assume a variety of different shapes.
Mucosa — a layer of connective tissue — covers the surface of the tongue. This layer contains papillae, which help you grip and taste your food while chewing. Your tongue also has a root, attached to the hyoid bone. The root connects the presulcal tongue to the body and tip.
Functions that the tongue performs
The tongue is one of the most versatile organs in the human body. It fulfills many critical functions — more than most people realize.
Taste
On the tongue, thousands of taste buds exist — clusters of nerve endings that take the shape of a capsule. The average adult has 2,000 and 4,000 taste buds that help detect sweet, salty, bitter, savory and sour tastes.
Taste buds contain microvilli, with direct connections to nerves that send signals to the brain. When microvilli detect taste from a food or beverage, they ensure the brain registers them.
Though the tongue is necessary to interpret taste, it also plays an influential role in other senses, such as your sense of smell and your sense of touch when evaluating the temperature of your food.
Speech
The shape of your tongue affects the sounds and words you speak. Without the tongue, speaking would be a near-impossible task.
Different sounds require different tongue movements in close coordination with the jaw, lips, and teeth. For example, “l” sounds require tongue placement behind teeth, flat on the roof of your mouth.
In other cases, your tongue will come into contact with the hard and soft palate to form sounds. For example, the tongue will touch your hard palate while making a “t” sound.
Chewing and swallowing
The tongue helps to make both chewing and swallowing possible. Mechanically, your tongue helps to guide the chewing process and guide food particles down your throat.
It also circulates food around the mouth and places it between teeth. This helps break down large bites of food into smaller, digestible pieces.
Once you have sufficiently chewed your food, the tongue also helps move it toward the back of your mouth and down your throat. Most importantly, your tongue can also prevent you from choking. It prevents food from heading toward your esophagus and your trachea — the airway that carries oxygen into and out of the lungs.
As you swallow, your tongue also helps to block the opening of your mouth and any food that may exit your mouth before entering your esophagus.
Secreting saliva
The tongue also discharges saliva, which is made by the salivary glands in the mouth. Saliva is important for both mastication (chewing) and your overall oral health.
During a meal, saliva lubricates food items in the mouth. This makes it easier to chew and swallow food, preventing choking hazards. Saliva also contains enzymes like amylase that break down carbohydrates to begin the digestion process.
Saliva is also a vital component of oral health. It provides an important balance for acids in the mouth, often produced by bacteria. This balance helps to prevent tooth decay and other oral health complications. Its liquid form also helps saliva wash away food particles that might get stuck in teeth or gums. This further reduces your risk for oral infection.
Signs of conditions affecting the tongue
The tongue fulfills many important roles in the body. However, certain oral health conditions can compromise its effectiveness. Injury, illness, and other factors can impact the tongue and processes like speech, respiration and digestion. Pain in your tongue can also impair your ability to eat, speak or simply enjoy life.
Discoloration or bumps
Discoloration or bumps on the tongue are often signs of underlying health conditions. Bumps are often white and can be caused by oral thrush, a fungal infection where Candida yeast grows on the lining of the mouth. You may also find the same white bumps inside your cheeks. Lichen planus — an inflammatory condition that affects oral mucous membranes — can cause white spots in the mouth.
Discoloration of the tongue is often black. This can occur when papillae in the mouth become longer than necessary, leading to staining from food or bacteria. In rarer cases, a black tongue can also indicate diabetes or oral cancer. These more serious oral health conditions are usually accompanied by difficulty swallowing or loose teeth.
Burning sensations
Burning mouth syndrome (BMS) is a diagnosable condition in which you may feel a burning sensation in the lips, tongue or other oral regions. Many experts believe that BMS is caused by damage to nerves that control taste. Some medical conditions can also cause BMS. For example, regurgitated acids from acid reflux can burn the inside of the mouth. Though not fully understood, research also indicates a connection between BMs and depression.
Symptoms of BMS are sometimes present in oral cancer. These symptoms are particularly prevalent among individuals with oral cancer and a history of smoking or tobacco use.
Numbness or tingling
There are several different conditions that can cause your tongue to tingle or go numb. Most are minor issues, though some, like hypothyroidism, represent more serious oral health concerns.
In many cases, tongue numbness or tingling results from injury. For example, accidentally biting your tongue can create numbness. Numbness or tingling in the tongue can also come from hot beverages or small cuts during brushing or flossing.
Excessive snoring
Sleep apnea is a common sleep disorder that interrupts breathing during your sleep. Nasal congestion, low blood oxygen levels or nervous system damage can cause or worsen this condition.
The size and position of your tongue can also contribute to sleep apnea. For example, people with an enlarged tongue may be more prone to excessive snoring or full sleep apnea.
Cold sores or canker sores
Both cold sores and canker sores can appear around the mouth and cause pain. Cold sores are small blisters while canker sores are ulcers that form inside the mouth. Despite their similarities, they both differ significantly in their contagiousness. While canker sores are not contagious, cold sores can be spread through physical contact or shared utensils.
Cold sores and canker sores can affect tongue placement and effectiveness. Often, your tongue will try to avoid painful sores. This can affect speech clarity and your ability to eat. Both cold sores and canker sores can also appear on your tongue, further hampering its effectiveness.
Oral cancer
Oral cancer can form in the mouth or oropharynx — the part of the throat located behind your mouth. It can affect many of the structures in the mouth, including your tongue and lips. Tobacco use, smoking, alcohol consumption and HPT infection can increase your risk of developing this cancer.
Book an oral cancer exam to begin the diagnosis process. A clinician will look inside your mouth for any abnormal growths or discoloration. They may also ask you questions about your oral hygiene or recent symptoms. If abnormal growths are found, your clinician might suggest taking a biopsy for lab analysis. You might also be asked to participate in CT scans, MRIs, or X-rays for further results.
How to care for your tongue
Your tongue functions best when you protect your oral health. Here are a few ways to prioritize oral health:
- Brush your teeth twice a day.
- Use toothpaste that contains fluoride.
- Rinse your mouth with mouthwash after brushing and flossing.
- Avoid tobacco, smoking and other activities that can increase your risk of oral cancer.
- Eliminate excess sugar or acidic foods from your diet.
You should also regularly visit a dentist. During these visits, you can bring up any concerns you have or oral health problems you’re experiencing. With a proper understanding of your symptoms, a dentist can develop a treatment that protects all aspects of your oral health, including your tongue.
