C0040409_MEDLINEPLUS

Your tongue helps you taste, swallow, and chew. You also use it to speak. Your tongue is made up of many muscles. The upper surface contains your taste buds.

Problems with the tongue include

• Pain
• Swelling
• Changes in color or texture
• Abnormal movement or difficulty moving the tongue
• Taste problems

These problems can have many different causes. Treatment depends on the underlying problem.