Mouth ulcers, or canker sores, can sometimes appear on the tongue. Although a tongue ulcer will clear up on its own with time, some home remedies may help ease the symptoms.
People can also use over-the-counter (OTC) medications to alleviate pain.
In this article, we discuss tongue ulcers in more detail, including why they occur, their symptoms, and how to treat them.
We also look at how to identify them and when to see a doctor.
Tongue ulcers are whiteish sores on the tongue.
Also called canker sores, a 2019 article notes that these ulcers most often develop on the inside of the lips and cheeks. However, they can sometimes appear in other areas of the mouth, such as the gums, tongue, and roof of the mouth.
They can appear individually, or a person may experience between two and four at a time.
Minor canker sores are usually a few millimeters wide. However, if they measure 1–3 centimeters, healthcare professionals refer to them as major canker sores.
They are not contagious and cannot spread from person to person through contact or shared items.
The main symptom a person will notice is pain.
The pain may be worse if the ulcer comes into contact with an object, such as a toothbrush. Some foods can also aggravate the tongue ulcer, especially those that are spicy or acidic.
The ulcers themselves tend to be white and roundish. They are typically a few millimeters wide and appear slightly sunken.
Some ulcers may have an area of redness around their outer ring, especially if something irritates them.
Source: Medical News Today
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