There are numerous diseases of the tongue papillae. According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health or NIH, a person's tongue helps her chew, taste and swallow, and common tongue problems include pain, swelling and changes in tongue texture. Tongue papillae are small, cone-shaped projections on the tongue's surface that contain taste buds, and certain tongue diseases affect or involve the papillae.
Black Hairy Tongue
Black, hairy tongue is a disease that affects the tongue papillae. According to the Mayo Clinic website, black hairy tongue is a temporary and harmless condition that causes a person's tongue to appear dark and furry. Black, hairy tongue is caused by defective shedding of the tongue's filiform papillae, which grow longer than usual and give the tongue a hairy appearance. Bacteria and other organisms can accumulate on the filiform papillae and cause the discoloration that characterizes black, hairy tongue. The Mayo Clinic website states that a person's tongue can turn black, yellow or brown. Contributing factors to the tongue's defective shedding of papillae include the following: poor oral hygiene and an overgrowth of mouth bacteria, tooth loss, long-term antibiotic use and head and neck radiation treatments. According to the Mayo Clinic website, although black, hairy tongue looks like a serious health concern, it often self-resolves.
Geographic Tongue
Geographic tongue is a disease that affects the tongue papillae. The American Osteopathic College of Dermatology or AOCD states that geographic tongue is a common, harmless condition that affects 1 to 3 percent of Americans and that it occurs in both males and females. According to the AOCD, although geographic tongue is a stand-alone condition, it also can be associated with other diseases, including psoriasis, fissured tongue and eczema. The NIH notes that geographic tongue is characterized by the following symptoms: a tongue surface that resembles a map, patches of abnormal-looking tissue on the tongue that shift daily and tongue soreness with occasional burning pain. The shifting tongue patterns are caused by the loss of tongue papillae. Loss of tongue papillae make the tongue smooth, and these smooth patches are referred to as denuded areas. According to the NIH, the definitive cause of geographic tongue is unknown.
Glossitis
Glossitis is a disease that affects the tongue papillae. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center or UMMC, glossitis, also known as burning tongue syndrome, involves tongue swelling and changes in tongue color. Glossitis is characterized by the loss of tongue papillae, which causes the tongue to appear smooth. The UMMC notes that alterations of the tongue's appearance may be caused by a primary condition--a condition that's unassociated with an underlying disease--or a secondary condition. Glossitis occurs with both acute and chronic tongue inflammation, and common causes of glossitis include the following: bacterial or viral infections, mechanical irritation of the tongue or injuries such as burns, tongue contact with irritants, including tobacco, alcohol and hot or spicy foods, allergic reactions to oral hygiene products and certain medical conditions. The UMMC states that some cases of glossitis can be inherited.
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