The tongue reflects the condition of the internal organs (especially the digestive system), so any cracks or plaque can be signs of serious health problems. But most often, the tongue bleeds for completely harmless reasons, that is, due to mechanical injury.
Physiology Issues
The tongue is an organ consisting of striated muscle tissue, externally covered with mucous membrane. It refers to the digestive system involved in the process of grinding food, preparing products entering the oral cavity, for the further process of digestion. The shovel-like body of the tongue helps to mix food, crushed into small fragments and moistened with saliva.
The language has a lot of taste buds that determine the sense of taste. At the tip is the area responsible for recognizing the sweet taste, on the sides of the front of the tongue a salty taste is determined, on the lower part - sour. The root zone is responsible for the perception of the bitter. Language is the most mobile organ of the speech apparatus, so it provides the reproduction of a huge number of words and individual sounds.
Causes of bleeding
Why is my tongue bleeding? The most common cause is injury, which may be thermal (burn), mechanical (cut, bite), chemical (irritation), or physical origin. A taste of blood in the mouth can occur when eating hastily, after talking, or when chewing. Injury can be caused by sharp protrusions of dentures or the edges of damaged teeth, food fragments (bones), cutlery (fork, knife), during dental procedures (preparation of the dentition for the installation of crowns).
Mechanical damage
If the tongue bleeds, the cause is most likely mechanical damage. As a rule, this is an injury received through negligence during a meal, conversation or dental procedures. Physical injuries are mainly caused by a maxillofacial shock or an accident. Thermal damage occurs when burning with steam, taking too hot drinks, the cause may be fire, radiation, an electric device. Chemical damage occurs when aggressive chemicals enter the mucosa.
Pathological condition
If your tongue bleeds, this may be one of the symptoms of glossitis. Inflammation is caused by a viral or bacterial microflora, can be an independent pathology, and accompany some systemic diseases. For example, stomatitis is often caused by ingestion or activation of the herpes virus. Mechanical injuries contribute to the development of the disease, smokers and people who abuse alcohol are at risk.
If the tongue bleeds, concomitant pathologies are common causes of this condition: liver diseases (carcinoma, cirrhosis, hepatitis), chronic renal failure, chronic inflammation of the gastric mucosa, intestinal inflammation, and peptic ulcer. This symptom is characteristic of intoxication with salts of heavy metals, helminthiases, vitamin deficiencies.
Symptoms of glossitis
The first sign of a disease is a feeling of discomfort in the oral cavity. Then, salivation increases, swelling occurs, the tongue becomes bright red, the taste sensations become dull, eating becomes painful and difficult. Often, the patient’s speech becomes slurred due to edema. If untreated, fungal growths in the tongue can form. If the disease is caused by an infection, then the symptoms of inflammation are characteristic: local fever, swelling, general deterioration of well-being.
Diagnosis and treatment
If the tongue hurts and bleeds, consult a doctor. A specific clinical picture allows you to make a diagnosis with a routine dental examination. For clarification, bacteriological, biochemical, histological, cytological or serological diagnostic methods are used. According to the results of the examination, the doctor will diagnose. Glossitis can be:
deep, localized in the bottom of the oral cavity;
rhomboid, usually developing against a background of chronic diseases;
folded - a congenital anomaly;
desquamative (“geographical language”);
Gunter, which is a symptom of a deficiency of folic acid or vitamin B12;
interstitial accompanying syphilis in the third period.
If the tongue bleeds, what should I do? To facilitate the intake of food, preference should be given to grated soft dishes and soups. During the day, as well as before and after meals, rinsing with a weak solution of an antiseptic (chlorhexidine, furatsilin) is indicated. With severe pain syndrome, applications with antiseptics are used. Plaque is removed with a swab moistened with proteolytic enzymes. The skin regeneration process is accelerated by local products with vitamin A.
In rare cases, surgery may be required. Strong anti-inflammatory, antifungal agents and antibacterial drugs are prescribed according to indications. Hormonal drugs (hydrocortisone, prednisone) in the form of ointments for topical use are used for short breathing difficulties.
Possible complications
With the advanced form of the disease (if the tongue constantly bleeds, plaque removal is accompanied by severe pain, there are purulent ulcers), an abscess may form. At the same time, salivation increases significantly, the tongue greatly increases in size, acute throbbing pain occurs, speech is disturbed. A serious complication is the development of phlegmon. Suppuration becomes pronounced, speech and breathing are difficult, the patient refuses to eat, possible attacks of suffocation. Symptoms of general intoxication of the body become pronounced.
Cracks in the tongue
Other tongues crack and bleed. Cracks can occur with a lack of vitamins (especially vitamin A and group B), anemia, blood and digestive system diseases (ulcers, colitis, gastritis), hormonal disruptions, parasite damage to the body, and allergic reactions. Cracks may not bleed, and the symptoms are swelling, discomfort when chewing food, burning sensation, dry mouth and loss of taste. Blood can appear when damage to the cracks.
Tongue crack treatment
If the tongue bleeds in the morning, then first of all, mechanical factors and an allergic reaction to oral care products should be excluded. It is necessary to correct dentures and fillings, correct the bite, change toothpaste or brush (replace with a softer one). Treatment, as a rule, includes rinsing with disinfectants, mouth sanitation.
First, consult a dentist who, if necessary, will refer the patient to a general practitioner, endocrinologist or other specialized specialists. Complex vitamin complexes, pharmaceuticals, and physiotherapeutic procedures are often prescribed. If there is a concomitant disease that can cause the tongue to bleed, then treatment must be started.
It is important to adjust the diet. Usually recommend the exclusion of smoked, spicy and salty, rejection of bad habits. As part of drug therapy, painkillers (Lidocaine, Novocaine), disinfectants (potassium permanganate, soda, furatsilin solution) and normalization of blood supply (Trental, Kapoten), electrophoresis are used.
Modern medicine offers among the methods of treating cracks in the tongue that cause bleeding, hirudotherapy. Leeches are placed directly on the tongue and lips, sometimes in the sky. Many years of experience with this method of therapy have shown excellent results, but not every patient will decide on a specific procedure.
How to stop bleeding
If the tip of the tongue bleeds, then in most cases it is enough to hold cold water or ice in your mouth so that the vessels narrow and the bleeding stops. Later, the oral cavity should be disinfected. If blood flows heavily, then in most people this causes panic. If veins are damaged in the deep layers of muscle tissue, you need to act collectively.
First, you should treat your hands with a disinfectant solution, and only then proceed with the study of the degree of damage to the organ. From unwashed hands, many bacteria can be brought into an open wound. To prevent the risk of infection, all precautions must be taken. The head must be lowered down over the sink or some container and open the mouth so that the blood can freely drain. It cannot be assumed that blood flowed down the larynx into the respiratory system.
Stop bleeding by pressing on the site of damage. To do this, use a sterile cloth, napkin, cotton wool or bandage. You need to keep until the blood stops completely. You can wrap a piece of ice with a cloth and attach to the damaged area. Usually, such measures are enough to stop the bleeding. If severe pain occurs, you can take general pain medication. In case of acid damage, the aggressive effect can be neutralized with a mild alkali solution. After exposure to any chemicals, the oral cavity should be rinsed with plenty of running water.
For complex organ injuries, you must call an ambulance. Urgent medical care is required if stopping the bleeding does not work within thirty minutes.