What Is Fissured Tongue?

Fissured tongue is a condition that causes grooves in the tongue, but in most cases this harmless tongue condition is just a variation of a tongue's appearance. You might be born with a fissured tongue, or it can develop over time. Unless you have other symptoms, you don’t need to treat a fissured tongue. But you will need to brush well to clear any buildup from the cracks. 

Continue reading to learn more about fissured tongue, including answers to questions like what causes a fissured tongue and can tongue fissures be cured. 

Fissured Tongue Symptoms

The most prominent symptom of fissured tongue is changes to the appearance of the tongue. A fissured tongue has grooves, or fissures, particularly in the center of the tongue. It’s common to have a deep fissure in the middle of the tongue, running from the back of the mouth toward the front. You may also have other, smaller fissures on the side and front of the tongue.

Most people don’t have any additional symptoms. 

Causes

The medical community doesn't know what causes fissured tongue, which affects about 5% of Americans. In fact, they think it’s likely just a variation in the way that tongues can look. Most often, fissured tongue happens in healthy people, and it can develop seemingly out of nowhere as you get older.

Researchers believe that your genes impact whether you develop a fissured tongue. Although medical professionals don’t understand exactly why the condition occurs, they believe multiple genes are at play. If your parent or family member has a fissured tongue, you’re more likely to have one. 

Risk Factors

Fissured tongue is more common in people with certain genetic conditions, including:

• Down’s syndrome
• Melkersson-Rosenthal syndrome
• Coffin-Lowry syndrome
• Pierre Robin syndrome
• Sjögren's syndrome

Diagnosis and Treatment

Fissured tongue doesn’t usually require a diagnosis or treatment since it’s considered a variation of a tongue's appearance. However, if you experience additional symptoms like a burning sensation on your tongue, bad breath, or trouble eating or swallowing, you should see a healthcare provider.

Since tongue fissures are normal and harmless, there is no need to correct the grooves in your tongue.

Prognosis

The prognosis for fissured tongue is excellent, since the condition doesn’t typically have any impact on overall health. However, if you have fissures in your tongue you may need to pay extra attention to oral hygiene. Food particles or debris can get stuck in the fissures, leading to bad breath, plaque buildup, and other oral health concerns. Brushing your tongue thoroughly can help keep your mouth and tongue healthy.

Summary

Fissured tongue is a condition that causes grooves, or indentations, on the surface of the tongue. The condition is harmless and likely just a variation of normal tongue appearance. There’s no need for treatment or diagnosis, but you should see a healthcare provider if you have secondary symptoms like burning on your tongue.

Fissured tongue can run in families. It often occurs in healthy people, but it's also prevalent in people with certain genetic conditions, including Down syndrome.