Tongue as a reflector of various conditions and diseases – a review

The tongue may be involved in a wide range of oral mucosal diseases. Apart from its involvement in generalized oral conditions, several lesions are quite specific to the tongue. Many of these depend on alterations in the specialized epithelial covering of the tongue and, in particular, in the filiform papillae. When the lesion of any kind is present on the tongue, it may be brought rapidly to the notice of the patient because of the mobility of the organ and its rich supply of sensory nerve endings. Thus, the tongue appears to be reflector of various conditions and diseases.