Tingling Tongue

Tingling tongue symptoms in a person are experienced due to a condition known as paresthesia of the tongue. Tongue paresthesia usually occurs when some kind of damage has taken place in the nervous system. A tingling sensation can be defined as a numbness or a feeling of "pins and needles" in the tongue area. Sometimes this tingling sensation might extend to the lips as well as the jaw. Below are some of the possible causes which produce tingling tongue symptoms in a person.

Tingling Tongue: Causes

Nerve Damage from Dental Procedures
If a person undergoes a dental surgery or certain dental procedures such as root canal or wisdom tooth extraction, it can sometimes lead to complications such as lingual nerve damage. When such sensory nerves are fully or partially damaged, the person might experience a tingling tongue sensation.

Burning Mouth Syndrome
Tingling tongue and lips, accompanied by dry mouth or soreness and a metallic taste could be due to burning mouth syndrome. BMS, as it is called, can occur due to a variety of reasons, all of which produce a tingling tongue and tingling lips sensation.

• Hormonal changes that take place in the body of a woman during menopause, in her middle age, can lead to BMS.
• Intake of certain medication or prevalence of diseases such as diabetes can cause BMS symptoms including tingling tongue.
• Intake of a diet which is deficient in the required nutrients for the body, can cause burning mouth syndrome. Deficiency of vitamin B12, is especially known to cause tingling sensation in the tongue.
• A fungal infection of the mouth or a tongue infection, known as oral candidiasis, can cause tingling tongue sensations.
• Acid reflux disease, in which the stomach juices flow back into the esophagus can produce BMS symptoms in a person.
• Tingling tongue and anxiety are interlinked. Stress, depression and anxiety symptoms vary from person to person. Some may experience weight loss, others may have shooting pains in various body parts and there are some who experience a tingling tongue.
• Allergies caused due to food or due to the materials used in the denture fittings or tooth fillings can cause tingling tongue sensations.

Stroke
Tingling tongue could be caused due to a stroke, also known as cerebrovascular accident (CVA). A stroke occurs when the supply of blood to the brain gets disrupted due to reasons such as blockage of the artery. If tingling tongue sensation is accompanied by stroke symptoms such as weakness, numbness and facial tingling, weakness in arms and legs, trouble in speaking, difficulty walking, visual disturbances, dizziness and severe headache, then this condition could be the possible reason behind the tingling sensation. Besides a stroke, some of the other serious health conditions and illnesses that can produce the tingling tongue symptom are multiple sclerosis, bell's palsy and a brain tumor.

Other Causes
This condition is very commonly seen in chain smokers. Sometimes, people who have crooked teeth which irritate the tongue, can experience tingling tongue sensation too. In some cases, poor dental hygiene could be the possible reason behind this condition, especially if there is accumulation of bacteria in the mouth.

Tingling or numbness in tongue is a symptom that is caused due to a number of health conditions and diseases. So, if appropriate medical treatments for the same are followed in time, this symptom will disappear or minimize on its own. For tingling that is associated with burning mouth syndrome, staying away from foods that cause allergies and tongue sores, taking a good diet which is a mix of all the nutrients, and exercising everyday to maintain one's physical and mental well-being, will help. In the end, it is advised that if this condition is experienced for a prolonged period and is accompanied by other symptoms such as change in speech, imbalance, severe headache, vision changes, amongst others, a doctor should be consulted as soon as possible.