Swollen Taste Buds: on Tongue, Causes, Tip, Back, How to Get Rid, Relief & Treatment

What causes swollen taste buds on sides of tongue, at the back of tongue or on the tip of tongue? Is inflamed taste bud associated with an underlying condition like STD? In this article we have covered a comprehension discussion on the causes, how you can treat with home remedies. We have inserted some pictures to provide insightful information on this problem.

The mouth has about 2000 to 8000 taste buds. You will find the taste buds located on the tongue, esophagus and soft palate. The taste buds majorly helps you to taste foods. What happens when you cannot taste every food that you eat? You can taste foods or drink if your taste buds are enlarged, inflamed and hurts.

Taste buds have taste receptors which are located on lingual papillae located on your tongue, soft palate, the esophagus and the epiglottis. Primarily when you eat food, the taste buds will be able to detect bitter, salty, sour, sweet and any other flavors. In this article, we will focus more on the causes of inflamed taste buds. We shall also give a guideline on how you can treat enlarged taste buds with both professional advice and effective home remedies.

Meaning of Swollen, inflamed or enlarged taste buds.

What does it mean to have swollen taste buds? If the taste buds pores become blocked, the taste receptors cells will stop to detect the flavor of food or drink. This tend to block impulse transmission to the brain. As a results, your tongue will not have feeling of the food you ingest. It implies that you either have distended or enlarged circumvallate, fungiform and foliate papillae.

The swelling can be anywhere in the mouth including the back, sides and tip of your tongue. Sometimes the swelling can be severe such that it is all over the tongue, cheek, soft palate or any other part of mouth that has the taste buds.

Symptoms of inflamed taste buds

What are the symptoms of inflamed or enlarged taste buds? Characteristically infected taste buds will have a rather abnormal appearance. You are likely to notice a rough texture on your tongue surface. Inflamed taste buds or taste will have small raised bumps that will occur on the surface of the tongue, mouth or cheek.

Depending on cause, you are likely to feel pain. Canker sore is the common cause of pain on the tongue. Other symptoms besides swelling include: redness, change of color of the tongue, sore throat, white patches or red spots on the surface of the tongue. Generally you taste buds will be rendered functionless. You might as well feel irritation depending on what causes the swelling.

Pictures, images

How do enlarged taste buds look like? To help you understand, we have inserted a picture below plus more other images in the entire post. This will give you a deeper understanding to help you identify well with your symptoms. We hope you find these pictures of great help to you for better clarification on how inflamed, swollen taste buds look like.

What causes swollen taste buds?

Why are my taste buds swollen? This could be the question worrying so much if you have inflamed taste buds. There are a number of reasons why you have swollen taste buds. Some of the causes can cause the taste buds to hurt, covered by white spots and painful altogether. Below are the reason you have enlarged taste buds.

1. Allergic reactions

Treat your allergies to rectify this condition. Various allergens can cause the inflammation on your tongue and consequently your taste buds. Reaction from food, medication, dental products can trigger the onset of increased in size of taste buds.

If you have oral allergy syndrome (OAS), then you at risk of developing swollen taste buds. Irritation caused by drugs and dental products necessitate a visit to your healthcare provider for medication or recommendation for alternative drugs or dental products.

2. Consumption of alcohol and chewing tobacco

If you consume alcohol and chew tobacco regularly, you are at higher risk of getting inflamed taste buds. Alcohol and tobacco use cause irritation in your mouth, tongue and throat. This can be associated to the swelling of taste buds. Large intake of alcohol and chewing tobacco can lead to infection in the mouth. Oral ulcers and cancer of the mouth is linked directly to use of alcohol.

3. Hot foods or drinks

Taking hot drinks or drinks will cause you to have enlarge and inflamed taste buds. This can affect the tip of the tongue, sides and back of the tongue. Taste buds in all areas of the mouth are likely to be affected from the burn causing the swelling of tongue and taste buds.

4. Physical injuries, trauma, rubbing and biting

Any injury minor or major on the tongue can trigger swelling of taste buds. Biting your tongue, oral surgery and rubbing can make the taste buds irritated and inflamed. This can be through tongue scrapping. Injuries to the tongue can leave open sores exposing you to infection that can lead to inflamed taste buds.

5. Too much acidic, salty and spicy food

Acidic, too much salty and spicy food can lead to irritation of the taste buds leaving them swollen. Such food or drinks tend to cause itchiness on your tongue causing the taste buds to enlarge. You should avoid eating such food to minimize the irritation on the taste receptors cells.

6. Depression and stress

The reason you having inflamed taste buds could be high level of stress and depression. According to health experts, high stress levels and depression lowers your immunity and causes fluctuation in hormonal. This puts you at risk of getting infections. With a weakened immune system, your taste buds can get swollen.

7. Mouth diseases

Your taste buds will get swollen if your mouth is suffering from medical conditions. If you have diseases like oral cancer, oral thrush, canker sores or tongue problems. These conditions have a tendency of affecting the taste buds. Multiples taste buds are likely to affect if you get any of these conditions.

8. Acid reflux condition

Taste buds have sensitive taste receptor cells that detect the taste food or drinks. If you suffer from acid reflux, the buds are likely to get swollen. This occur due to gastric acid regurgitation that causes irritation in your mouth, tongue or cheek.

9. Inflamed taste buds STDs

Are swollen taste buds a sign of STDs? Inflamed and enlarged taste buds can be sign of sexually transmitted disease that tend to affect your mouth especially the papillae. If you have cold sores or fever blister, you are prone to have sores on your mouth and tongue surface leaving your taste buds swollen. Syphilis or oral gonorrhea are known to cause itching and soreness of the throat. Taste buds found at the back of tongue and throat are highly affected.

10. Inadequacy in nutrients

Nutritional deficiency can play a part in having your taste buds inflamed or enlarged. Lack of nutrients such as Vitamin B complex, Vitamin C and folate puts your mouth and tongue at risk of getting mouth and tongue problems. You are likely to suffer from infections causing swelling of the taste buds.

Swollen taste buds on tip, back, sides of tongue

The tongue has numerous taste buds including on the tip, sides and back of tongue. Any condition affecting the tongue will consequently cause inflammation in the taste buds. Irritation on the tongue from allergy can cause swelling of taste buds. Enlarged taste buds on tip of the tongue can be due to physical injuries such tongue biting or scrapping. Swollen taste buds on the sides and back of tongue can be caused by underlying condition like oral ulcers, cancer of the mouth, sore oral thrush etc.

Visit your healthcare provider if your taste buds are enlarged and hurts. Medical examination can help detect the problem thus correct diagnosis.

Enlarged taste buds and sore throat

Enlarged taste buds is common especially at the back of tongue if you have a sore throat. A sore throat is an inflammation due to cold or other virus. If you have a sore throat, pain, itchiness and irritation are some of the signs and symptoms.

A viral or bacterial infection in the mouth can cause a sore throat. Inflamed sore throat will in the process causing swollen taste buds. Visit your doctor if the sore throat last refuses to go or last for more than week.

Treatment of enlarged taste buds and sore throat include gargling with warm water salt water, anti-inflammatory medications which we shall discuss later.

Why do I have white enlarged taste buds?

White swollen taste buds can be at the tip, back of tongue or on the sides. What does it mean to have white inflamed taste buds? There are number of reason for white inflamed taste buds on your tongue. The reasons are associated with tongue and mouth problems. A canker sore is a common cause of white sore on the surface of the tongue, it can cause pain. The surface of the tongue is affected leaving taste buds swollen.

Transient lingual papillitis could be another cause for swollen taste buds. This is an inflammatory condition that tend to affect one or several fungiform papillae on the tongue surface. You may notice single raised or white bumps on the tongue and at the tip.

Red inflamed taste buds all over tongue

What causes swollen red taste buds all over tongue? There are many factors that can cause red inflamed taste buds all over tongue. In some cases, the tongue may appear pinky and turn red with red enlarged taste buds spots on the surface. Some of the possible causes include:

Vitamin deficiencies. Deficiencies of folic acid and Vitamin B12 can cause your tongue to turn red with enlarged taste buds.
Geographic tongue. This condition will cause your tongue to develop reddish spots, including swollen taste buds all over the surface of the tongue. Though the condition is harmless, you should check with your dentist if the condition last longer than 2 weeks.

Treatment, Cure – How to get rid

How can you cure inflamed, swollen or enlarged taste buds? We will discuss the best ways to get rid of swollen taste buds with various treatment and home remedies for swelling of taste buds on tip, back and sides of tongue surface. Here is how you can handle this condition.

1. Treat the underlying condition

The cause of inflammation on your taste buds could be due to an underlying cause. Depending on the cause, you should visit your healthcare provider for prescription of different medical condition for swollen buds. It could be canker sores, STDs, oral thrush ulcers of the mouth, etc. a medical examination will be carried out by your doctor to assess the nature of swelling.

For viral and bacterial infections, the common treatment to be prescribed will be antiviral or antibacterial drugs.

2. Gargle with warm salt water

Gargling with warm water added salt can greatly help reduce infection in the mouth and swelling of buds. Prepare a solution of sea salt and warm water. Gargle your mouth especially the back of tongue and throat. You should do this at least thrice a day. It helps to relive infection in the mouth, tongue and throat. In the process, inflamed taste buds, will get relief.

3. Baking soda

Baking soda can help reduce inflammation in your mouth, tongue and throat. Naturally baking soda is an anti-inflammatory and one of the effective home remedy to relieve mouth and tongue problems. Here’s how to:

Apply baking soda on the affected area
leave it for about 5 – 10 minutes
rinse with warm water
Repeat the procedure at least twice a day for a couple of days.

Baking soda helps to remove gastric acid from your mouth that causes inflamed taste buds.

4. Antiseptic mouth wash

Bacterial infection in your mouth is one of the cause of swollen taste buds. Antiseptic mouthwash can help to get rid of infection in your mouth. Swish your mouth antiseptic mouthwash and rinse with warm water. Do NOT swallow the mouthwash.

5. Apply ice

Apply ice on the affected areas of your tongue surface. Ensure while using ice cubes to relief the swelling on your buds, do not overindulge. It will make your tongue feel numb. You can place the ice on the surface of the tongue periodically.

6. Tea tree Oil

Apply tea tree oil on the affected surface of tongue and mouth. Here’s how to:

Add a few drops of tea tree oil to warm water
Gargle your mouth with this mixture
Rinse with warm water
Do this severally for maximum results

Do NOT use excess tea tree oil otherwise you will feel hallucinations.

7. Garlic, Ginger and Pepper

These three ingredients: garlic, ginger and pepper can help to fight infections reliefing swelling on taste buds. It is effective for getting rid of inflamed taste buds at the tip, back and sides of the tongue surface. You should eat food that has all these ingredients or alternatively make a solution of garlic, ginger and pepper. Drink at least two glasses daily to reduce inflammation and swelling of taste buds.

8. Honey

Honey is one of the effective home remedy for tongue and mouth problems. It has antibacterial properties that can reduce inflammation of taste buds thus reducing swelling. Apply honey on the affected areas, alternatively make a solution of honey with either garlic or ginger or both. Gargle your mouth with the mixture.

Swollen Taste Buds Video

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