Problems chewing, swallowing, or moving the tongue

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Problems chewing, swallowing, or moving the tongue

Minor problems chewing, swallowing, or moving your tongue may occur when you have a sore mouth or when you have had a minor injury, such as when you bite your tongue while chewing. If this is the case, home treatment and time will often take care of the problem.

If the problem gets worse, it may become very difficult to swallow. If a baby has trouble swallowing, he or she has a greater chance of becoming dehydrated. Watch your child carefully and pay close attention to the amount of fluid he or she is able to drink. Look for signs of dehydration, such as:

• Less frequent urination (fewer diaper changes).
• More concentrated urine (stronger odor or darker yellow color).
• Fussiness.
• Acting hungry most of the time.

Unexplained difficulty chewing or swallowing or moving the jaw or tongue can be:

• Caused by medicines, such as tranquilizers or medicine to help prevent vomiting (antiemetics).
• A symptom of oral cancer.
• A sign of loss of function, such as the inability to speak, difficulty speaking, or difficulty understanding speech. This could be caused by a problem such as a transient ischemic attack (TIA) or stroke. Any sudden loss of function requires emergency evaluation.
• Caused by an allergic reaction.

A health professional can evaluate the cause of your symptoms and make recommendations for treatment.

Credits

Last updated:	September 26, 2008
Author:	Jan Nissl, RN, BS
Reviewed By:	Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine, Steven K. Patterson, BSc, DDS, MPH - Dentist
Editors:	Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA, Tracy Landauer