Transient Lingual Papillitis Causes

Human tongue is the organ of taste, concerned with identifying the 'sweet', 'sour' 'salty' and 'bitter' components of taste. Along with detecting taste, it also assists in speech. The upper surface of the tongue contains a large number of papillae and taste buds. The papillae found on human tongue can be divided into four types on the basis of their structure or appearance. They are, filiform, fungiform, circumvallate and foliate papillae. Read more on otolaryngology.

These papillae contain the 'taste buds', which are responsible for detecting the various components of taste. However, the filiform papillae do not contain any taste bud. One of the common tongue problems that can affect the papillae of the dorsal or upper surface of the tongue is transient lingual papillae, which are more famous as 'lie bumps'. The name 'lie bumps' originated from the superstition that they are the result of telling lies. Read more on sore tongue.

What are Transient Lingual Papillitis?
Transient lingual papillitis or lie bumps are a type of tiny, red or white bumps, that affect the papillae or taste buds of the tongue. They are mainly found in the fungiform papillae. These bumps can be quite painful at times, but usually resolve within a few days without any treatment. Transient lingual papillitis can be termed as a localized inflammatory condition, that specifically affects the fungiform papillae of the dorsal tongue. As these papillae contain taste buds with a lot of nerves, bumps developed on them can produce severe pain in certain circumstances. Along with pain, they can also produce a burning sensation on the tongue. Now, let's have a look at the possible transient lingual papillitis causes. Know more about bumps on tongue and tongue ulcers.

Transient Lingual Papillitis Causes
What exactly causes lie bumps or transient lingual papillitis is not known to medical science. However, a number of factors have been presented as the possible causes. One of the major factors that is believed to cause transient lingual papillitis is local trauma or irritation of the tongue. This in turn results from accidental biting or scraping of the tongue. Sometimes, rubbing the tongue against the roof of the mouth can too cause lie bumps. Even eating foods with sharp edges can irritate the tongue and leads to the development of lie bumps.

Other possible transient lingual papillitis causes include, gastrointestinal problems and eating certain foods, especially highly acidic or salty and spicy foods. In addition to these, stress is also supposed to play an important role in the development of transient lingual papillitis. Another speculation about these bumps is that they may have an association with viral infection. However, this is only a speculation and has not been proved by scientific evidences.

Transient Lingual Papillitis Treatment
There is no specific treatment or transient lingual papilltis cure. This is due to the fact that exact causes of transient lingual papillitis are still unknown. However, to get relief from the pain and discomfort caused by these bumps, ice can be applied on the affected areas. On the other hand, many people have found considerable relief from the pain and burning sensation by using saline water for gargling. The bumps usually subside within a week or so, without requiring any kind of medical treatment. Many people use numbing medicines or local anesthetics, especially if the pain becomes intolerable. More information on transient lingual papillitis treatment.

Generally, transient lingual papillitis do not require prescription drugs, as the condition resolves on its own in a matter of few days. The lack of adequate information about the transient lingual papillitis causes, makes it very difficult to treat and to prevent the recurrences of the condition. However, it is a harmless condition and is not contagious. But still, the condition can be associated with other diseases, for which it is important to seek medical advice from an experienced physician or dentist, if the symptoms persist for more than a week.