K14: Diseases of tongue

K14.3: Hypertrophy of tongue papillae

The tongue is mostly made up of muscles. The tongue is important for chewing, swallowing and speaking. It is connected to the back of the throat. There are many taste buds on the surface of the tongue. The taste buds have lots of small nerves, allowing us to perceive taste.

Enlarged taste buds can take on different appearances. For example, a whitish or dark coating may be visible on the tongue. The surface of the tongue may also look thickened. It may not be possible to find a precise reason for the enlargement of the taste buds.