Tongue Pimples
Red bumps on tongue in back of mouth?
I wake up in the morning and have tight jaws. There seems to be pain on the right side of my tongue in the back when I chew. I noticed red bumps on the back of my tongue when I look in the mirror. Sometimes it is hard for me to swallow. What could this be? I also spit blood when brushing my teeth. Will this also produce difficulty swallowing?
Public Comments
- Everybody has those bumps on the back of their tongues. They are in a V formation and are called Circumvallate Papillae. Those are totally normal. You may have tight jaws when you wake up because you grind your teeth in your sleep. Talk to your dentist about getting a mouth guard so you don't ruin your teeth. I get sore spots on one side of my tongue when I chew because I have kind of a sharp-sided molar back there. The more I feel for it the worse it gets. Talk to your dentist about it and see if they can do something about that edge. Spitting blood when brushing your teeth is an indication that you aren't taking good care of your gums. You're either not brushing properly and/or not flossing. Brushing side to side is hard on your gums and can damage them. Brush in up and down or circular motions. Flossing will help keep them healthy, too. They should stop bleeding if you do those two things.
- What you are describing sounds like transient lingual papillitis (TLP), better known as "lie bumps" on the tongue. TLP is a harmless, but annoying, problem. This condition is limited to the upper (dorsal) surface of the tongue, affecting some of the tiny bumps on the tongue known as the fungiform papillae. Fungiform papillae are the normal little bumps on the top of the tongue that people call "taste buds." These bumps can become notably red or white and are quite tender for one to several days. While the cause of TLP is not known with certainty, most experts feel that local accidental trauma (rubbing, scraping or biting) is a major factor; however, contact reactions to things like certain foods have also been suggested. In the southern United States, these have sometimes been referred to as "lie bumps" - supposedly the person who gets one of these has recently told a lie, and this is their punishment! Most people, when their tongue is irritated, can't seem to keep from rubbing it against the teeth to make it feel better (sort of like scratching an itch); however, this usually makes things worse. Over-the-counter medications such as OraBase or Zilactin can be applied. These materials act like a bandage and help to protect the ulcerated surface of the fungiform papilla. Lie bumps are not contagious and the discomfort is relatively minor. Typically these lesions heal within a few days with no treatment. If they do not, then you should be seen by an oral pathologist.
