Tags: Disease.
Glossitis can mean soreness of the tongue or more usually inflammation with depapillation of the dorsal surface of the tongue (loss of the lingual papillae) leaving a smooth and erythematous (reddened) surface (sometimes specifically termed atrophic glossitis). In a wider sense glossitis can mean inflammation of the tongue generally. Glossitis is often caused by nutritional deficiencies and may be painless or cause discomfort.
