The histology of prolonged candidal infection of the rat's tongue

Long-term candidal infection of the rat's tongue has been found to produce marked epithelial hyperplasia with keratin trapped between the folds of hyperplastic epithelium. The epithelium showed atypia which did not amount to carcinoma in situ. Degenerative changes were found in the superficial layers of the lingual muscle beneath areas of candidal infection, and after a year, hyalinized fibrous tissue appeared to replace the damaged muscle.     

Structual changes of the apex region of the tongue in the elderly

The purpose of this research was to clarify the morphological changes of the apex region of the tongue in the elderly. Apexes of tongue were removed from 44 Japanese adult cadavers (64-99 years) which were contributed for dental studies at Tokyo Medical and Dental University. These specimens were fixed again with 10% formaldehyde, and then paraffin sections were made from these specimens according to a general method. After several stainings, these sections were observed with a light microscope. The results were as follows : 1) The epithelium, propria mucosae and muscle layers became thin with aging, and the boundaries between these layers became unclear. 2) The tendencies of fibrosis also became remarkable, and the arrangement and distribution of collagen fibers and elastic fibers became disordered in propria mucosae. 3) The numbers of myocytes and myofibrils tended to decrease. 4) The connective tissue which is the outer layer of nerves tended to increase. Moreover, in some nerves, the paths of each neurofibril became tangled. 5) These findings are structural features in the apex of the tongue of the elderly, involving morphological changes of layers, fibrosis, structural changes of myocytes and myofibrils, nerves and neurofibrils in this region. These changes suggest some relationships to functional disorder in motion, pain and paresthesia of the tongue.     

A complication of tongue piercing. A case report and review of the literature

Several complications of oral piercing have been reported, some of which are life threatening. A case report on tongue piercing is presented where the ventral surface of the tongue healed over the barbell requiring surgical exposure.     

Plexiform hypoglossal schwannoma of the tongue and the submandibular region

ABSTRACT: Hypoglossal schwannomas usually develop in the intracranial portion of the brain. Incidence of hypoglossal schwannomas of the submandibular region is extremely rare. A 27-year-old patient presented to us with hypoglossal schwannoma of the tongue and the submandibular region. The tumor was excised intraorally combined with submandibular approach. Histopathologic examination revealed a plexiform schwannoma (a rare variant).     

Squamous carcinoma of the tongue: review.

Carcinoma of the tongue is a common condition treated by oral and maxillofacial surgeons. The tongue is a complex anatomical site at the entrance of the oropharynx, bounded by the floor of mouth and lingual mandibular cortex; its form and mobility are crucial for efficient swallowing; speech, and the appreciation of taste. Single and multiple treatments have been used, but the tongue remains a difficult area to assess and treat. In this paper, we have attempted to review some of the papers published over the last 20 years with particular reference to prognosis and functional outcome. We have dealt exclusively with squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue and its management by surgery, radiotherapy, brachytherapy, photodynamic therapy, and chemotherapy.     

A tooth in the tongue

A case in which a large portion of a tooth was inadvertently pushed into the substance of the tongue during extraction is presented. The delay in diagnosing the condition is also discussed.     

Malacoplakia: case report in tongue and review of the literature

Malakoplakia is a relatively uncommon chronic inflammatory reaction of unknown etiology. It usually affects the genitourinary tract but may rarely involve the tongue. There are many theories that explain this reaction but it seems to be the answer to an infectious agent in a patient with immunologic deficiency. Microscopically, malakoplakia is characterized by the presence of foamy histiocytes with distinctive basophilic inclusions, which are known as Michaelis-Gutmann bodies due to a partially ingested bacteria and their posterior calcification. There are many alternatives to treat this entity. We report the only case diagnosed in the tongue, in a 15 years-old male in the Maxillofacial Surgery and Stomatology Service of the Hospital San Vicente de Paúl in Medellín, Antioquia, Colombia.     

A foreign body in the tongue

A 3-year-old boy was referred to the emergency department of a medical centre because of a local swelling of the tongue. Radiographic imaging concluded that it concerned a complete tooth, which had been overlooked during an earlier visit to the same department. The foreign body was removed easily under general anaesthesia. A foreign body in the lip is a feature frequently seen by family physicians and in emergency departments of medical centres. However, a foreign body in the tongue is, by contrast, less often reported. Physical examination is the key factor in diagnostics. When in doubt, a radiograph should be made.     

A Cochrane systematic review finds tongue scrapers have short-term efficacy in controlling halitosis

The Cochrane systematic review promotes evidence-based outcome studies. This review was conducted to determine reliable evidence concerning the effectiveness of tongue scraping or cleaning, compared with other interventions for controlling halitosis. A competent search strategy was developed and used across several databases--including the Cochrane Oral Health Group Trials Register, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Google Scholar--to identify randomized controlled trials that compared different methods of tongue cleaning to reduce mouth odor in adults with halitosis. Methodological quality of studies was assessed based on criteria defined by the Cochrane Collaboration. Clinical outcome (expressed in terms of a reduction in mouth odor in adults with halitosis) was examined. The review included two trials involving a total of 40 participants. Based on the independent data from these two trials, the tongue cleaner or the tongue scraper demonstrated a statistically significant difference in reducing levels of volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs) when compared with the toothbrush. The findings indicate a small but statistically significant difference in reduction of VSC levels when tongue scrapers or cleaners, rather than toothbrushes, are used to reduce halitosis in adults.     

Jugular foramen tumour resulting in hypoglossal denervation pseudohypertrophy: a rare and significant cause for tongue asymmetry

Paragangliomas of the jugular foramen are rare. They may present with symptoms of compression of the glossopharyngeal or vagus nerves, or due to secretion of catecholamines from chromaffin cells within the tumour. This case describes a rare presentation of glomus tumour. A 67-year-old patient presented with a 2-month history of right-sided tongue swelling. She was found to have an obvious swelling on the right side of the tongue but no obvious weakness or fasciculation on initial examination. Ultrasound confirmed diffuse muscle swelling, but no lesion within the tongue. Magnetic resonance imaging of the neck revealed an ipsilateral glomus jugulare tumour that extended to the hypoglossal canal, and had resulted in ipsilateral denervation pseudohypertrophy of the lingual muscles. This paper reviews presentation of glomus jugulare tumours and contributes a novel presentation of a rare entity.     

A mucoepidermoid tumour of the tongue

A case of mucoepidermoid tumour arising in minor salivary glands of the tongue and assessed histologically to be of high-grade malignancy is described. The diagnostic difficulties involved in distinguishing the neoplasm from a squamous cell carcinoma are considered. From published figures it would appear that salivary gland neoplasms in the tongue are much more likely to be malignant than benign.     

A painful swelling of the tongue

A 45-year-old patient had a progressive ulcer of the tongue. Routine examination, including a biopsy was not conclusive and could not entirely rule out a malignancy. The final diagnosis was made after generalised lesions developed, after which specific serological tests confirmed the diagnosis 'syphilis'. The patient was treated with benzathine benzylpenicillin and his complaints disappeared. In view of the increasing incidence of this disease remains an important consideration in case of ulcerative or other lesions in the oral cavity.     

Effectiveness of mechanical tongue cleaning on breath odour and tongue coating: a systematic review

To cite this article:
Int J Dent Hygiene  8 , 2010; 258–268
DOI: 10.1111/j.1601‐5037.2010.00479.x
Van der Sleen MI, Slot DE, Van Trijffel E, Winkel EG, Van der Weijden GA. Effectiveness of mechanical tongue cleaning on breath odour and tongue coating: a systematic review. Abstract: Background: The objective of this review was to summarize the available evidence regarding the effects of mechanical tongue cleaning compared with no mechanical tongue cleaning on breath odour and tongue coating (TC). Methods: PubMed‐MEDLINE, EMBASE and Cochrane‐CENTRAL were searched to identify potentially relevant studies. The inclusion criteria included the following: randomized controlled clinical trials (RCTs) or controlled clinical trials (CCTs) conducted in humans in good general health (no systemic disorders) and a patient age of ≥17 years. For the intervention, we considered tongue cleaning [the use of a tongue scraper (TS) or tongue brush (TB)] and for the control, brushing only (B) groups. Clinical parameters such as volatile sulphur compound concentration, organoleptic scores and TC were the outcome variables of interest. Study selection, quality assessment and data extraction were carried out by two independent reviewers. Results: After screening of the titles and abstracts and subsequent full text reading of the potential papers, we identified five publications that met the eligibility criteria and provided seven experiments. The five studies consisted of three RCTs and two CCTs. All experiments show a positive effect of mechanical tongue cleaning in addition to toothbrushing on various parameters of oral malodour. Conclusions: This review demonstrated that mechanical approaches, such as tongue brushing or tongue scraping to clean the dorsum of the tongue, have the potential to successfully reduce breath odour and TC. However, data concerning the effect of mechanical tongue cleaning on chronic oral malodour (halitosis) are insufficient.     

Heterotopic neuroglial tissue: two cases involving the tongue and the buccal region

We report two rare cases of extranasal heterotopic neuroglial tissue and review the literature on the topic. The clinical, histological, and immunohistochemical features are presented. Both patients had lesions extranasally, even though the sinonasal region is the predominant site for these heterotopias. The first lesion was located in the buccal area in an 8-year-old boy and the second lesion in the tongue of a 2-year-old boy. They had relatively small lesions with few clinical symptoms. Complete excision was made and the follow-up was unremarkable. Heterotopic neuroglial tissue is considered to be a congenital condition. Complete excision of these lesions is recommended in spite of the lack of malignant potential, but because of the possibility of continuous growth.