Maxfacts

Tongue

Postoperative problems affecting the tongue include

• Scarring, leading to limitation of movement. This is really only a problem if the under-surface is involved as this area needs to stretch in function. Scar tissue on the top (dorsum) of the tongue and lateral (side) surface may create slight deviations in movement or minor taste disturbances but are essentially not noticed.
• Disturbed speech. Movement of the tongue is essential for intelligible speech and articulation of sound is created by tongue movement and contact with teeth. People can show incredible degrees of adaptability after tongue surgery but some disturbance is inevitable.
• Disturbed swallowing. For much the same reasons as speech is disturbed. The tongue and lips are essential to move food bolus and fluid around the mouth and into the second (involuntary) stage of swallowing. Movement caused by absence of tongue tissue, scarring and tightness or overly bulky reconstruction can cause this.
• Diminished oral hygiene. The tongue is part of the mouth self-cleaning system.
• Alteration in taste. The special sense taste fibres of the glossopharyngeal nerve (posterior (back) third of the tongue) and facial nerve (chorda tympani nerve, running with the lingual nerve) may be interfered with during tongue surgery and alter the sense of taste. The sensory nerve (anterior (front) two thirds lingual, posterior third glossopharyngeal) may be interfered with and create the experience of altered sensation other than taste disturbance.