Tongue

Red Bumps on Back of Tongue Causes, symptoms, and Treatment

Red bumps on back of tongue


Have you ever experienced the appearance of Red bumps on back of tongue? This may occur due to a variety of reasons. Some of the symptoms may not be that of great concern, but the affected person should just be cautious of the symptoms and try to seek medical assistance and other better alternatives to overcome the condition. It will also prepare you in the event that they are either a sign of a more serious infection or not and the kind of attention it requires.

Signs and Symptoms

Red bumps on back of tongue

In most cases, people may develop pimples and other bumps on their bodies which may make them feel uncomfortable. Most of the bumps may just disappear on their own but others require medical attention and should be of great concern to the patient.

This may be a recurring condition and the cause should be established as soon as possible.

These bumps appear too red and may also be seen on other parts of the tongue like the upper part and the sides. The symptoms of the disease vary depending on the cause.

Some of the common signs and symptoms include:

  • The occurrence of flat cells on mouth surface.
  • Tenderness and pain on any part of your mouth.
  • There is Pain in eating, chewing, and even when speaking.
  • Presence of Mouth sores which tend to bleed.

Red Spots on Back of Tongue Causes

Red bumps can be caused by a variety of substances such as from an infection, an injury or even hot meals may be one of the causes of the bumps on the tongue.

  • Eczema

A bacterium may develop due to an irritation which is caused by a skin irritation. This bacterium may affect the buds and in turn, causing the red bumps to occur.



  • Geographic Tongue

It makes the tongue to appear map like which may have red dots. When they are small, you will have red spots on the tongue which also appears to have white ring bordering it. Most of the time this situation is painless.

  • Hand-Foot-and-Mouth Disease

This is a sickness that affects kids who are under the age of five years. Hand foot and mouth sickness causes red spots on the tongue, gums or inside the cheeks.

These spots can cause ulcers or blisters that are painful, and its alternative symptoms include the red rash on feet sole, buttock, palm, inflammatory disease and fever.

  • Vitamin Deficiency and Anemia

Vitamin B-12 in the body is necessary for the person’s diet. Its deficiency in the body may lead to the occurrence of red bumps on the tongue. They may be of large size than the normal bumps that do occur on the tongue.

To avoid this condition, your diet should contain foods rich in vitamin B-12 such as liver, crustaceans, fortified cereals, red meat, milk, cheese, and eggs.

  • Digestive Disorders Like Acid Reflux

Presence of the acid in the mouth, which results from the regurgitation of the acid from the abdomen may result in the formation of red bumps on the back of the tongue. Some of the symptoms of this infection include the regurgitation, hiccups and bloating

  • Allergic Reaction

Some allergens such as that of food and medication may result in the formation of the red bumps on back of tongue. This may particularly occur on the lower surface of the tongue. This allergen may also cause the lips to swell, respiratory problems and the nasal congestion.

  • Scarlet Fever

The microorganism Streptococcus tonsillitis causes scarlatina which may lead to the formation of the red bumps on the tongue. Inflammatory disease or a sore throat may also lead to the formation of the red dots on the tongue surface.

  • Strep Throat

Realizing that you have got prickly little red dots on your tongue, particularly at the rear of your tongue, you will be having a sore throat. You can usually see a swollen flap of little red dots on the rear of the tongue and throat.

  • Oral Cancer

Oral cancer tends to affect various parts of your mouth such as lips in the front of your tongue and other parts of the mouth.

In the initial stages, the sore does not cause any pain, and it can begin as a tiny spot on your tongue, such as the red spots. Oral cancer may be misunderstood with chilly sore. Some of the following symptoms may confirm to you if it is oral cancer:

  1. Sores in your mouth that bleed often and does not easily disappear.
  2. Tenderness, pain, and numbness in any part of your mouth
  3. Experiencing pain in eating, chewing, and even when speaking.
  4. The appearance of the flat cells on mouth surface.
  • Fungiform Papillae

A normal human tongue is usually covered by the small bumps which usually goes unnoticed if not keenly observed by the person. Trauma may also be a source of the occurrence of the red dots on the tongue. Eating very salty or too sugary meals may raise the levels of the infection.

  • Inflamed papillae

Inflamed papillae occur to be so painful on the tongue. Consumption of the hot meals and other drinks may lead to the establishment of this kind of the disease. Biting of the tongue and other injuries such as the piercing. People who are used to smoking may also be affected by this condition.

  • Circumvallate Papillae

Red bumps may appear on your tongue which may be of larger sizes than the normal bumps that do occur on the tongue. The enlarged bumps are the ones referred to as the circumvallate papillae. The occurrence of another infection such as a sore throat makes the condition to be more severe.

  • Smoking weed and consumption of alcohol

The act of smoking or excessive consumption of alcohol endangers your life. It is therefore advisable to avoid excessive intake of the alcohol and smoking. Smoking the weed causes irritation on your tongue. This may be a starting point for the formation of the red bumps on back of tongue



  • Strawberry Tongue

Your normal pink tongue may change the appearance and appears to be red in color. This difference may be due to the strawberry tongue condition.

Possible causes of strawberry tongue signify the lack of vitamin B-12 and B-complex vitamin or scarlatina.

  • Canker Sores

Experiencing the red bumps on the back of the tongue which are painful may be a sign of the canker sores. Canker sores may have symptoms such as fever and some discomfort.

  • Kawasaki Disease

This is an autoimmune disease that is mostly seen in the children below the age of five years. This condition causes the red bumps to appear on the tongue which then spread to the lower part of the tongue. It affects the skin and mouth.

It causes fever, swollen lymph nodes, cracked lips, rashes on the chest, genital area and abdomen, and severely red eyes. If treatment is delayed, it may cause complications as well as blood vessels inflammation.

Bumps on Back of Tongue STD

Sometimes, red bumps on back of tongue may be caused by STDs. Throughout the initial stages; one might possess tiny, painless sores on the tongue, vulva, vagina, lips, cervix, or the area wherever the sickness inflicting bacterium enters the body.

The rash-like rough, red, or sepia spots will appear. At the secondary stage, lesions and sores within the mouth are also common.

White Bumps on Back of Tongue

A healthy tongue of a healthy human being should be pink and slightly red and covered with tiny nodules randomly. An appearance with white bumps on the tongue are a deviation from your tongue’s normal appearance and should be taken care of.

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White Bumps may even appear after an injury from a bite or irritation to some foods and drinks. But if you have large bumps at the back of your tongue, and a coating of white on your tongue it may be a sign of Oral Thrush.

An oral Thrush is an infection of the mouth caused by the fungus known as the candida fungus. Its causes white or red bumps on back of tongue and other parts of the mouth. Candida infection is not only limited to the mouth; it can occur in other parts of the body.

This may cause diaper rash in infants or vaginal yeast infections in women. Thrush can affect anyone, though it occurs most often in babies of age below five years. This also occurs in adults and other people known to have weak immune systems.

If you encounter an oral thrush, here are some of the ways to solve the problem:

  1. Limit the amount of sugar and yeast-containing foods you eat which include bread, beer, wine and refined white sugar which encourage candida growth.
  2. Antifungal medications, which are generally taken for 10 to 14 days, are often prescribed to treat thrush. These medicines are available in tablets or liquids.
  3. Use beneficial essential oils like tea tree, eucalyptus, and mint which are all anti-fungal, anti-viral and anti-bacterial.
  4. Gargle with salt water. Make sure the salt is Real Salt or sea salt.
  5. You should embrace the use of fermented foods.
  6. Use an antibacterial organic mouthwash once or twice a day to help keep your teeth and gums healthy. The prescribed dose should be observed as too much of this may interfere with the balance of the microorganisms I the mouth.
  7. Observe good oral hygiene practices. Brush your teeth with organic toothpaste at least twice a day. Brushing of the teeth helps to remove the thrush from the mouth and the tongue.
  8. Quit smoking, or at least brush your teeth or use mouthwash immediately after smoking to clean excess bacteria and toxins

Most of the people affected by this condition are the smokers of the tobacco. The non-smokers may also be affected. This occurs from the smoking history of the person. To overcome this condition, we should avoid taking too much of the processed food such as the bread.

Bumps on side of tongue

Having Painful red bumps that appear on the sides of the tongue are most likely to be caused due to constant irritation of the fungiform papillae that are scattered on the dorsal surface of the tongue. At first, the bumps appear to be white in color but due to inflammation they change to be red

This white bumps may occur as a result of the following possible causes:

Trauma

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The tongue can become inflamed when one accidentally bites the tongue, pierce or consumes very hot beverages. At times, the cracked or injured teeth may also lead to trauma in the mouth.

This problem may be reduced by avoiding too much intake of the acidic food and other hot meals that may have effects on the teeth, gums and the tongue.

Oral Thrush

Oral thrush is a fungal infection that is caused by the Candida fungus. It is characterized by white, raised lesions on the tongue. Practicing good oral hygiene and reducing the intake of sugar-rich food can help prevent this condition. Antifungal drugs can be effectively used to control the disease.

Ill-fitting Dentures

Ill-fitting dentures are lesions that can rub against the sides of the tongue, which in turn can cause bumps on the tongue. In case such occurs, you should consult the physician to get the proper guidance concerning the same.

Red Bumps on Back of Tongue Toddler

The appearance of the red blister on the tongue of the babies has always been a worry for many of the parents. Some of this may occur as a sign of a serious infection while others may be just minor.



Most of the times, the blistered tongue is normally a sign of hand foot and mouth disease, which is known to be a viral infection. Therefore antiviral medication should be prescribed by the physician to help your child heal faster.

You can help your child by giving foods that are easy to eat such as the ice cream, warm tea and other meals that are easy to eat. Food that is acidic and salty should be avoided as this may increase the levels of infection.

How to get rid of Red Bumps on Back of Tongue naturally

  1. Antiseptic or anesthetic mouthwash

These mouthwashes are necessary for that, they can help rinse out the bacteria that may be causing the red bumps in your mouth. The mouthwash may also help relieve your mouth from any irritation that may be causing the bumps.

  1. Drink plenty of water

Drinking water helps in keeping yourself hydrated and less susceptible to some germs and bacteria. Drinking water can greatly help to flush the bump-causing organisms out of the mouth thus preventing more infection.

  1. Essential Oil

Clove oil contains eugenol, which is a medication, has been employed by dentists for a longer period of time to relieve pain among the patients.

Eugenol is used nowadays, though, in a very pure extracted type. However essential oil remains helpful for oral pain since it is better for the toothaches and even the canker sores.

  1. WaxCap

Application of the wax capping to the irritating region may help to release the pain. This may occur where there is rubbing of the sore against the teeth. Waxcap helps to reduce the healing period of the condition.

  1. Drink Cold or Cool Liquids

The use of the cold drinks or the liquid helps to reduce the pain of the red bumps on back of tongue and also reduces any kind of the inflammation.

  1. Yogurt

The probiotic bacteria that is present in yogurt may help dispose of the red bump-making bacteria, especially in cases where the bumps were created by a fungal infection

  1. Eat Calming Foods

It is advisable to use intense calming foods like yogurt and milk. These will assist to reduce any pain or discomfort that you experience caused by red spots on tongue. You should try to eat these foods to reinforce the soothing effects.

Dairy products like yogurt, ice cream, and milk might assist reduce the discomfort.

  1. Doctor’s care

If the home remedies are not working, or if the bumps are getting bigger, a doctor’s care may be needed. They can prescribe you what may be needed to get rid of the cause of the red bumps. The antibiotic prescription may be appropriate.

  1. Gargle with warm salt water

Dissolve a half teaspoon of salt into a glass of warm water. Gargle for 30 seconds and then spit it out. It is better to do this continuously until the bumps disappear. This should work for most of the red bumps.

Red Bumps on Back of Tongue Treatment

Red bumps on the back of the tongue are usually nothing to be concerned about, there are a few instances where you should seek treatment.

For instance, if the bumps last more than two weeks and get bigger, you should see a doctor, says Net Wellness.

Also, if they bleed or are so painful thus interfering with normal chewing, seek help to at least get appropriate assistance from the physician.

How are tongue problems diagnosed?

You should ensure that you see your physician for diagnosis and treatment if your tongue problem seems to become severe, or exhibit the following symptoms:

  • Larger sores than you have previously had
  • Recurring sores
  • Frequent pain
  • Tongue problems with a high fever
  • Extreme difficulty eating or drinking especially hot meals and drinks.

More sources and References:

  1. Red Bumps Way Back On The Tongue: https://www.livestrong.com/article/312859-red-bumps-way-back-on-the-tongue/
  2. Red Spots On Tongue: causes Symptoms And Home Remedies: https://mavcure.com/red-spots-on-tongue/
  3. Oral Thrush-What Bumps On Your Tongue May Be Telling You: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/liana-wernergray/oral-thrush—what-bumps_b_12950622.html
  4. Tongue Problems: https://www.healthline.com/health/tongue-problems-2
  5. Bumps On The Sides Of The Tongue: https://healthhearty.com/bumps-on-side-of-tongue
  6. How to Heal Toddler Tongue Blisters: https://www.livestrong.com/article/354876-how-to-heal-toddler-tongue-blisters/

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