A swollen tongue can be caused by several different things. The most common cause is food allergies. Most patients refuse to believe that they are addicted to specific foods and even when discovered, many patients foolishly continue to eat these foods. A food diary is extremely helpful in determining which food is the culprit. In addition to the tongue, allergies can cause many oral tissues to swell.

          Another common cause of a swollen tongue is hypothyroidism. There are classic indentations and grooves along the side of the tongue in this condition. They appear as tongue grooves. Unusually, hypothyroidism is on the rise in the United States. It causes dry skin, tiredness, lowered body temperature, muscle aches, weight gain and a lot more. Many of these people also have a TMJ problem.

          A patient's swollen tongue can be caused by a combination of several factors. The tongue naturally grows to fill in open spaces within the mouth. Patient's who do not wear their dentures often have enlarged tongues that disturb their lower dentures when worn. There will also be asymmetrical enlargement of the tongue into the area of missing teeth in people who are partially edentulous.

          Some other possible causes of a swollen tongue are tongue infections, hyperactive pituitary, Acromegaly, oral cancer, Down's syndrome, myxedema, rhabdomyoma, angioedema, and herpes stomatitis. The dentists and staff at the Atlanta Dental Group PC love their patients and of course, you are welcome to join their family of patients. Because we know that any oral change can be scary, we would be happy to see you. If you would like to consult with Atlanta Dentist, Dr. Mark Allan Padolsky, please make an appointment by calling 404-874-7428.