There are different mouth and tongue diseases:
Oral Ulcers (Qula‘ al-Fam / Mouth Ulcers):
This disease has three forms:
1) Phlegmatic Mouth Ulcers:
In this condition, small white or grayish ulcers appear on the lips, tongue, gums, and inner cheeks. The mouth becomes inflamed and burns, making eating, drinking, and speaking difficult. Saliva constantly flows from the mouth, and there is often a foul smell like spoiled milk. Sometimes vomiting, diarrhea, and mild fever also occur.
In severe cases, wounds develop inside the mouth and swelling occurs. The mouth may even begin to decay, producing symptoms similar to syphilitic ulcers. Excessive saliva is produced, foul odor develops, taste becomes impaired, and the teeth loosen and begin to fall out.
Causes:
This disease mostly affects children because their temperament contains more moisture. When body heat decreases, the disease develops. Excessive and untimely milk feeding also causes indigestion. Since milk has a cold and moist nature, it intensifies this condition and produces ulcers. Children who drink mother’s milk irregularly or mostly consume market milk commonly suffer from this disease.
2) Acidic Mouth Ulcers:
In this condition, the inner lining of the mouth becomes red, swollen, and develops painful ulcers. Eating and speaking become extremely difficult. Red spots often appear on the tongue after eating red meat or acidic foods. The gums, lips, and mucous lining of the cheeks also become swollen.
Causes:
Use of allopathic painkiller medicines
Excessive use of acidic foods
Red meat
Pickles
Vinegar products
3) Acute Mouth Ulcers:
In this form, yellow spots appear on the tongue and inner lining of the mouth. The tongue develops a yellowish-brown coating. Excessive heat causes soreness in the mouth. Eating and drinking become difficult, and even mildly hot foods worsen the condition.
Causes:
Excessive use of hot and dry foods
Bad Breath (Bukhar al-Fam / Halitosis)
This disease is so troublesome that both the patient and others become disturbed by it. In severe cases, people may avoid the patient, sometimes causing depression. Food particles sticking inside the mouth produce bacteria, which mix foul odor into the breath.
Causes:
Indigestion
Poor dental hygiene
Pyorrhea
Tonsils
Lung disorders
Gas formation
Vapors from the stomach
Pancreatic disorders (Diabetes)
Excessive Salivation
The medulla oblongata controls saliva production. When it becomes stimulated, saliva is produced excessively. The patient becomes greatly troubled by continuous drooling. Eating, drinking, sitting, writing, reading, teaching, and speaking become difficult. During sleep, excessive saliva may wet part of the pillow.
Causes:
Intestinal worms
Indigestion
Excessive use of cold and moist foods
Stammering (Luknat)
When thick secretions accumulate in the muscles of the tongue, stiffness develops. Because of this, the patient gets stuck while pronouncing certain words, which is called stammering. Some patients cannot speak complete sentences and stutter while talking. Speech loses its fluency.
Causes:
Convulsions
Paralysis
Meningitis
After-effects of typhoid fever
Cracked Lips and Tongue
Excessive coldness and dryness in the body cause the lips and tongue to crack. Blood may also ooze from cracked lips.
Causes:
Cold and dry weather
Excess lime in water
Sour and acidic foods
Indigestion
Inflammation of the Tongue (Glossitis)
Like other parts of the mouth, the tongue can also become inflamed. This condition is called Glossitis. In this disease, the tongue becomes swollen, red, and painful. Eating and speaking become difficult because of pain in the tongue.
Causes:
Excessive use of sour foods
Use of antiseptics