DISEASES OF TONGUE

The tongue plays a fundamental role in several body functions such as swallowing, breathing, speaking, and chewing. The tongue is an organ that has an autocrine/paracrine mechanism of action to synthesize different substances to interact with the whole body; according to a line of thought, it is also an extension of the enteric system. The tongue is the only visible part of the digestive tract and therefore, considered as the mirror that reflects the conditions of the body's internal organs, particularly the organs of digestion and metabolism. It can prove to be a key factor in determining many conditions and the overall health of the body. Tongue lesions are a health concern for the dental practitioners and the patients as they constitute a significant proportion of oral mucosal lesions. The high prevalence necessitates adequate awareness of the various tongue lesions in the general population. The dental clinicians should also be knowledgeable about the etiopathogenesis, clinical presentation, diagnosis, and treatment of these lesions.