The prevalence of congenital and acquired tongue disorders in childrens referred to pediatrics clinic of Mostafa khomeini hospital in years 2012 and 2013

Tongue has different duties. Developmental disorder, inflammation, infection, neoplasm and trauma may lead to deformation of the tongue, burning and pain, discomfort, speech difficulties, nutritional and psychological problems and halitosis. The prevalence of tongue form disorders were variable between% 4.95 to % 41.2 in different studies. The main purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of tongue form disorders in children under 12 and their relations with variables like ethnicity, gender, familial history of tongue disorders and systemic diseases. In this analytical cross sectional study,1400 children under 12 who referred to pediatrics clinic of Mostafa Khomeini hospital in years 2012 and 2013, were examined and studied. An examination chart was prepared.After completing the form and oral examinations, the results were analysed with statistic test in SPSS version 16. Tongue disorders were found in% 27.14 of the children with a % 95confidence interval(24.8-29.5). The most frequent tongue disorder was coated tongue(% 14.3)with a % 95confidence interval(12.5-16.1).Other oral disorders were geographic tongue,oral thrush, strawberry tongue,ankyloglossia,scrotal tongue, red raspberry tongue, aphthous stomatitis, median rhomboid glossitis, microglossia and macroglossia respectively. Significant associations were found between strawberry tongue and infectious diseases,and also between strawberry tongue and pharyngitis.Whereas significant associations were found between disorders like coated tongue, oral thrush, geographic tongue and general health. In this study about one-third of the children had tongue disorders and there were significant association between some of these tongue disorders and systemic diseases.