What are the signs and symptoms of a fissured tongue?
Fissured tongues come in all varieties. The grooves may be as shallow as 2 millimeters or as deep as 6 millimeters. The fissures may make your tongue appear cracked or wrinkly.
When you look at your tongue in the mirror, you may see:
- A single, prominent groove that makes a vertical line down the middle of your tongue, with smaller grooves radiating (spreading out) from it (most common).
- Grooves that crisscross or connect, dividing your tongue into what looks like segments or tiny “islands.”
- Multiple random grooves on the top of your tongue that don’t connect.
A fissured tongue doesn’t usually cause symptoms unless food or bacteria get trapped in a groove. When this happens, you can develop:
But you can develop these symptoms even without fissures. Keeping the grooves free of bacteria by practicing good oral hygiene can keep you symptom-free.
What causes a fissured tongue?
Experts don’t know what causes a fissured tongue. It’s possible that genetics come into play, as tongue fissures can run in families. This may explain why people in some regions are more likely to have tongue fissures than people in other regions.
Still, more research is needed to know for sure.
Conditions associated with tongue fissures
Experts do know that people with specific conditions are more likely to have tongue fissures. A fissured tongue is commonly associated with:
But having fissures on your tongue isn’t a warning sign of a condition or health issue. It’s not a sign that you’re missing key nutrients or have a vitamin deficiency. Think of fissures as a harmless characteristic that just happens to occur more frequently alongside certain conditions.
FAQs
A: Fissured tongue is a harmless condition usually with no associated symptoms. No treatment is necessary except to encourage good oral hygiene including brushing the top surface of the tongue to remove any food debris from the fissures.
How to cure fissured tongue? ›
How is a fissured tongue treated? You won't need treatment unless food or bacteria get stuck inside a groove. This can lead to inflammation or an infection that your healthcare provider can treat. But fissures alone aren't a problem.
What do tongue fissures indicate? ›
Fissured tongue occurs in approximately 5 percent of Americans. It may be evident at birth or develop during childhood. The exact cause of fissured tongue isn't known. However, it may sometimes occur in association with an underlying syndrome or condition, such as malnutrition or Down syndrome.
What vitamin deficiency causes fissured tongue? ›
Vitamin B-complex deficiency may be associated with the fissuring. Treatment of the fissured tongue is generally unnecessary unless a mild inflammation develops at the base of the fissures from an accumulation of food debris.
What vitamins are in the tongue cracks? ›
A study conducted in 2016 links fissures to a deficiency in vitamin B12. It found that a lack of B vitamins, zinc, and iron can play a role in the development of grooves. People with improperly balanced diets also stand a higher chance of wrestling with this condition.
How do you heal a split tongue fast? ›
Apply firm pressure to a cut on the mouth or tongue to help stop the bleeding. Most mouth and tongue cuts heal on their own without stitches. Use saltwater rinses and cold compresses to relieve mouth pain and swelling and to reduce the chance of infection.
What is the fastest way to heal geographic tongue? ›
There's no treatment to eliminate geographic tongue, but healthcare providers may recommend medication, including: Mouthwash with an antihistamine (medication to relieve allergic reactions). Topical analgesics (pain relievers) that you can apply directly to your tongue.
Can dehydration cause tongue fissures? ›
Dehydration can lead to a decrease in saliva production, which then allows bacteria to flourish. Dehydration also causes the tongue to become cracked and irritated, making it more susceptible to infection. As a result, it is important to stay hydrated, especially if you are suffering from white tongue.
What age do you get a fissured tongue? ›
Fissured tongue often first appears in childhood. However, the condition typically becomes more pronounced as the person ages. Fissured tongue may have links to other conditions, including: geographic tongue.
What does a stress tongue look like? ›
Signs of your body undergoing excessive stress can show up on your tongue as unusual redness, sores, and ulcers. Also, if it appears to have marks around the edges, that could signify consistently biting it as a reaction to stress.
Smooth Tongue
Tiny bumps on your tongue called papillae start to waste away. That makes it look and feel kind of smooth and glossy. Infections, medication, and other conditions can cause it, too. But if not enough B12 or other nutrients is to blame, your tongue also may be sore.
What vitamins heal the tongue? ›
Nutrients to Promote a Healthy Tongue
Nutritional deficiencies can affect the health and appearance of the tongue. The most common deficiencies which do so are B-vitamins (in particular B6 and B12) so you may want to consider a complete Vitamin B supplement to promote a healthy tongue.
Why is my tongue splitting? ›
There is no definitive cause of cracked tongue, but older research has pointed to a genetic link, suggesting that it may run in families. Also, a 2016 study found a possible association between cracked tongue and smoking.
Can you fix a fissured tongue? ›
Q: Is there treatment? A: Fissured tongue is a harmless condition usually with no associated symptoms. No treatment is necessary except to encourage good oral hygiene including brushing the top surface of the tongue to remove any food debris from the fissures.
Can stress cause cracked tongue? ›
According to the American Academy of Oral Medicine, geographic tongue can be caused by anything from emotional stress and psychological health issues to diabetes and hormones. Symptoms consist of a cracked tongue appearance and sensitivity to hot and spicy foods.
What does a cracked tongue mean in Chinese medicine? ›
Cracks on the tongue can be a sign of Yin deficiency or heat in the body. Specific patterns of cracks can provide additional insights. A long central crack points to excess heat in the stomach due to stress or overconsumption of alcohol, coffee or spicy foods.
How do you heal a hole in your tongue? ›
How can you care for yourself at home?
- If your doctor prescribed antibiotics, take them as directed. Do not stop taking them just because you feel better. ...
- Eat soft foods that are easy to swallow.
- Be safe with medicines. ...
- Apply a cold compress to the injured area. ...
- Rinse your wound with warm salt water right after meals.
It can be done as an outpatient surgeon do this procedure since there is more potential for asymmetry than there was with the initial split. Operation while being given a local anesthetic. It entails removing (cutting out) the repaired lining from the split's tip to its deepest point along the inside of the split.
Can you stitch a fissured tongue? ›
Although treatments are available to control symptoms of fissured tongue, treatments to repair fissures in the tongue are unavailable and unnecessary. Since the surface of the tongue contains taste buds, skin grafts or sutures would likely affect sense of taste.
Why do people get their tongue split? ›
Tongue Splitting is a kind of cosmetic body modification procedure that involves cutting the tongue in half to create a lizard-like forked effect. Many fashion enthusiasts desire to split their tongues for various reasons like thrill-seeking, aesthetics whereas some people consider it as a self-discovery of art.
