Inflamed Taste Bud

What is Inflamed Taste Bud?

When we go out for a dinner and see delicious foods, we tend to salivate. We cannot help our self not to be amaze and feel hungry. When we eat junk foods we cannot help but finger-lick using our tongue. When it is our first time to taste a food that is not usual to us, we use our mouth and tongue.

We feel the taste and flavours of the food using our tongue. We cannot speak clearly without our tongue. The muscle that regulates the movement of our tongue is the one controlling our speaking ability. As I am writing this, I came to realize that the tongue is one of the unique parts of our body. Our tongue has more than 8,000 taste buds. The taste buds are responsible to differentiate and classify different flavours and taste of the foods.

Taste Bud Flavours

In the human anatomy structure, the tongue has taste buds and five taste senses. Those senses are: sweet, bitter, salty, sour and the latest is umami. It is also divided into five sections such as back, centre, front, blade and the tip.

Taste receptors in the taste buds transmit signals to the brain right after tasting the food hence giving the food taste. It is also present in the different parts of our body like esophagus, larynx and pharynx.

Different people have their own food taste fetish. Some of us likes sweets too much, some likes to indulge in sour, some would eat bitter, hot and spicy foods (especially organ meat) and some would love salty foods. However, when we indulge too much, our taste bud cannot take it anymore causing it to damage and inflamed.

The characteristics of inflamed taste buds are like a white patch. The tongue becomes swollen and sometimes painful. The affected cannot determine the taste of the foods he is eating.

Inflamed Taste Bud Causes

There are different factors and underlying causes why a person experienced inflammation of the taste buds. Listed below are the common factors and underlying causes of inflamed taste buds.

• Rashes in the tongue
• Large consumption of hot and spicy foods
• Allergies due to foods that contains high acidity
• Lesions on the tongue
• Tongue infections
• Vitamin B deficiency
• Cancer treatment modalities
• Smoking
• Oral cancers
• Trauma and injuries to your tongue
• Brushing the tongue vigorously
• Using of irritant mouthwash
• Having dentures which are not perfectly fits
• Accidental biting of the tongue
• Improper chewing of foods
• Surgeries that involves the tongue and taste buds (laryngectomy or pharyngectomy)
• Excessive alcohol consumptions
• Oral thrush in the tongue
• Medication reactions
• Taking too much supplemental herbs
• Having endocrine disorders
• Having acid reflux disease
• Mouth ulcers

Inflamed Taste Bud Treatment & Home Remedies

Treatment for inflamed taste buds should know first the underlying conditions. These treatment targets also the factors involved.

• Glycerin is used and put in the surface of the tongue to relieve the swollen
• Eat yogurt to balance the surroundings of the oral mucosa
• Ice cold foods are eaten and applied especially when eating hot and spicy foods or other irritants
• Good oral hygiene is advisable to maintain cleanliness of the mouth and tongue
• Gargling tea-tree oil helps combat bacteria and infections of the inflamed taste buds
• Baking soda is applied to have cooling effect and soothes the discomforts felt
• Patients are advised not to brush their tongue vigorously
• Water with salt gargle solution is also advised
• Vitamin B supplements is prescribe to cover up the deficiency
• Smoking and alcohol consumption should also be stop
• Dentures should be adjusted to properly fitted
• Mouth wash should be alcohol-free
• Anti-infective is used if it came from an infection
• Hot and spicy must be eaten with limitations
• Avoid any injury or trauma for your tongue
• You may eat ice chips to help relieve discomfort
• Direct application of ice can relieve swelling but do not prolong it
• Honey is a good source for faster healing process
• Pepper, garlic and ginger can reduce infection most especially when added into a soup
• Refrain self from abusing and doing unhealthy habits
• If found out that lesions are getting worse, immediate medical attention is highly needed
• If caused by carcinomas, further evaluation is highly needed

Special Considerations

Our taste buds are essential for us to know the kind of foods that we are eating. The further damage we do to it, the worst may happen. We cannot enjoy our foods and we cannot appreciate what we are eating. No matter how good the looks of the food yet we cannot identify its taste; it’s just worthless. When our taste bud is inflamed it takes days to heal it naturally. As an old cliché’ states “We are what we eat.” If we will not monitor our actions, then our body will be affected. Take care of your tongue; maintain it in a good way. Avoid foods that can ruin the taste buds and for sure you will be enjoying much on your foods. Happy eating!

Inflamed Taste Bud Pictures

Different Types of Taste Buds Image

Redness of taste buds