My tongue papillae are enlarged with redness and burning sensation. What is my problem?

Hi,

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Thanks for briefing the problem in concern. I had a detailed look at the pictures you have sent (attachment removed to protect patient identity). There are no abnormalities that I can see on the dorsal or ventral aspect of your tongue. It does not look like candidiasis either. The only functional problem that could be there is what we call burning mouth syndrome and is usually attributed to vitamin B12 deficiencies, anxiety, or depression. Please understand that if the cause has been a vitamin deficiency and it takes around four to five months time for the entire problem to get resolved. The other classical feature is its transient improvement for a few days, returning to its original state in the next few days. Smoking could also be a factor. Even though you stopped three weeks ago, tobacco effects do exist in the body for at least six months, and often I have observed that this problem can exist until then. The other possibility could be due to acid reflux. Kindly avoid having any oily, spicy, and junk food items as much as possible, eat on time, and focus on including lots of fruits and vegetables in your diet. Continue the saltwater gargles six to eight times a day and keep sipping on boiled warm water every two hours. I would still recommend you to wait for a few more months and follow the above advice. This is a very common entity that I come across, and it can take months for this issue to resolve. At the same point of time, do not get too anxious about this issue as anxiousness causes stress levels to rise and delay the healing process.