Tongue Issue

[andy75]

dont know if this is the right forum or not? anyways, I have a tongue concern that I wanted to discuss with you. For the last 10-12 days, I seem to have developed 1/2 inch long cut/groove/fissure near the tip of my tongue which are not healing. I dont have any other issues or problem in my mouth (no canker sores) or body such as fever or anything like that. I am also not taking any antibiotics or use any denture etc. The only thing that I can thing of if eating some spicy food a few days before the cuts developed. What is also strange is that the cuts dont pain, though there is a tingling like sensation. However, it has not affected my eating or speaking abilities. I was wondering if you can suggest what could be possible cause. If I really extend my tongue, I see a very mild white caoting in the middle what is difficult to scape off. Is this something really worrisome or suggestive or anyting serious?

[bhups1]

Hi, i do agree, it is very much possible, things happen in life all of sudden. Get rid of anxiety and better take HIV test.Take care!

[andy75]

hi,

i went to the oral surgeon today and his observation was that i have developed a fissured tongue even though i had no history or past observations of it. he examined my mouth and tongue and found nothing else. i also asked him about association of fissured tongue with HIV especially in early stage of the disesae. he said that in absence of other symptoms especially pain in fissures it is hard to see that association and he had not seen any such case in his life. i asked him if there was anything that i could do to heal the fissures and he said that its possible that they may never heal and there is nothing he would advise me to do.

i am a little surpised with his conclusion and wondering if you agree. do you think its possible that i never had any signs of fissure tongue and all of a sudden (with a coincidence that when i am going through the HIV scare) for the fissure tongue to appear? Is that possible?

[bhups1]

Hi, in any kind of herpes infection vesicles and sores usually appear which are very painful. Please relax about your symptoms, they will go by themselves.

[andy75]

Dear bhups1,

Went to the dentist today and he could not detect anything particular ( no thrush or anything else). he referred me to an oral pathologist and will see him sometime next week.

came back home and started surfing the net. came across something called the herpetic geometric glossitis which is found in HIV patients. wondering if this disease shows up as an ealry sign in HIV or in advanced stage of disease. Also what are the symptoms of it? Some of the symptoms seem very familiar to my problem except that I dont have any pain.

[bhups1]

Hi, HIV is remote possibility. In geographic tongue, which is again benign condition,  tongue is covered with small protrusions called papillae, red patches on the surface of the tongue bordered by grayish white areas. It is again a familial disorder but fissures are not seen.

Please relax, don't think of HIV, as HIV presentations are associated with many other type of symptoms like recurrent mouth ulcers, herpes attacks, fever, diarrhoea, seborrheic dermatitis etc.
But, if you are anxious, take HIV test.

[andy75]

is it also associated with HIV virus?
i have also heard that fissures can be caused by Geographic Tongue. Is that true?

[bhups1]

Hi,although cause is not known but it has been observed that fissured tongue may develop in association with infection or malnutrition or run in families(autosomal dominant inheritance).

You can try some vitamin B supplements for the moment.

[andy75]

i never had a fissured tongue and just seem to ahave developed it suddenly. Is that possible? What would be the cause?

[bhups1]

Hi, fissured tongue is quite common condition.The prevalence worldwide has been reported to be as high as 21%. Relax, it is a benign condition and as such no treatment is required. Regarding the white coating, try listerine mouth wash and in case it still persists, do consult doctor to rule out fungal infection.