Glossitis is an inflammation of the tongue that causes it to
swell in size, change into different shades of red, and develop
a smooth appearance on the surface. The tongue is the small,
muscular organ in the mouth that helps you chew and swallow
food. It also helps with your speech. This condition can cause
the papillae—the small bumps on the surface of the tongue—to
disappear. Your papillae are very important to how you eat. They
contain thousands of tiny sensors called taste buds. Severe
inflammations that result in swelling, redness, and pain, may
change the way you eat or speak. There are several different
types of glossitis Inflammation of your tongue that appears
suddenly, often with severe symptoms, is acute glossitis. This
type typically occurs during an allergic reaction. Chronic
glossitis is an inflamed condition of your tongue that appears
often. This type of glossitis may begin as a symptom of another
health condition. Idiopathic Glossitis (Hunter’s Glossitis) The
cause of idiopathic glossitis is