Natural Cures For Inflamed Or Infected Papillae

By Patricia | August 13, 2009

The tongue is considered to be the organ of taste, but that is not the tongue’s only function. The tongue plays an important role in word formation when we speak and in chewing and swallowing food when we eat. Any problem with the tongue therefore becomes a serious issue because it affects all of these functions. In this article, we deal specifically with inflamed tasted buds and what we can do about it.

What are taste buds?

The tongue is not completely smooth; it is covered by minute projections called papillae. Contrary to popular opinion, the papillae serve no function in taste. The taste buds are actually located in between the papillae. They have tiny hair that project out from the taste buds and help the tongue capture taste molecules. This system is not very efficient, however, as the tongue is good only at distinguishing the four major tastes, nothing else. It is our nose which is ten thousand times more effective, and which helps us with taste. This is why when we have a cold, we are unable to taste food, even though our tongues are fine.

What causes inflamed papillae?

An inflammation of the papillae is not very uncommon, and it happens all the time. Most people do not bother much, and in fact, hardly remember an episode because the tongue replaces cells so quickly that most inflamed cells are replaced in a matter of days.

There are a number of reasons that can cause an inflammation of the papillae. Most people think that this is an inflammation of the taste buds; however, it is only the papillae that get infected.

  • The most common cause of tongue papillae getting inflamed is consuming food that is either too hot or too spicy. This causes an inflammation of the papillae, leading to discomfort, a burning sensation, or even pain.
  • Sometimes, a bacterial infection in the tongue or the roof of the mouth can cause an infected taste bud, which will show very similar symptoms. Bacterial infections can, however, be identified because they form whitish patches on the tongue or the roof of the mouth.
  • Fungal infections of the mouth, although rare, can still occur, resulting in a very painful tongue.
  • Last, but not the least, sores can also form on the tongue. These sores are mostly caused by injury such as when biting the tongue by mistake.

An inflammation of the tongue is usually not very serious, except in case of specific diseases such as oral thrush and so on, where treatment must be sought immediately.

What is a good course of treatment?

An inflamed tongue is so common that people usually do not seek medical advice for it. In fact, most of us do not even bother using home remedies. That said; given below are a few simple remedies that can help.

  • Application of ice: Usually, nothing is needed to be done and simply ensuring that you do not eat too hot or spicy food for a few days will rectify the problem. In those cases where the tongue is inflamed severely, pressing an ice cube on it will bring down the inflammation rapidly. Care should be taken while doing this because pressing the ice cube too hard on the tongue will cause a reduction in blood flow to that area, resulting in other complications.
  • Lukewarm saline solution: Another very good treatment is to gargle with lukewarm saline solution. The salt in the water will relieve the inflammation. The water should, however, be just the right temperature so that your tongue can tolerate it. If the water is too hot, it will worsen the symptoms.
  • Baking soda: One other home remedy is to apply baking soda on the inflamed portion. Baking soda immediately brings down the temperature, cooling the inflammation and reducing it.

These remedies would only be effective in case the infection is caused from the consumption of hot and spicy foods. They are, however, ineffective in treating infections and injury. Here are some remedies for inflammation due to infection or injury.

Glycerin: In case of injury to the tongue or sores on the tongue, applying glycerin on the tongue will help it heal quickly.

Honey: Bacterial infections are a little more difficult to treat, although quite easy if you know how. For example, rinsing the mouth with honey or even drinking honey works very well to eliminate the infection. Honey is a very powerful antibacterial agent, and as long as you rinse your mouth thoroughly with the honey before drinking it down, it will relieve the symptoms in a matter of days.

Ginger, garlic and pepper: Making a decoction of garlic, ginger and pepper and drinking it 3 to 4 times a day will help fight infection caused due to bacterial infection.

Tea tree oil: Another very good remedy is to gargle with tea tree oil. This oil is a very powerful antibacterial agent. You could mix a couple of drops of tea tree oil with some water and gargle daily in order to relive bacterial infection very quickly. This option is, however, generally not recommended because if tea tree oil is consumed by mistake it can lead to hallucinations.

While most of the home remedies are fairly safe and can be used by most people, it is best to get a doctor’s approval, before trying any of them. In case a woman faces the problem of inflamed taste buds during pregnancy, it is best to inform the doctor immediately about it and seek the appropriate treatment.

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