Certain Medications
Many medications can cause a sore tongue. Two of the most common are aspirin and ibuprofen. Both drugs inhibit prostaglandins, which have many bodily functions, including increasing blood flow to the extremities, such as the tongue and fingers. Inhibition of this action may cause pain or a sore tongue. Prostaglandins are not produced only by the medication but also by the body itself. When taking medicines for pain (NSAIDs), one can make the pain worse if they are also producing prostaglandins themselves. If a person is getting a sore tongue from aspirin or ibuprofen, they should switch to acetaminophen (Tylenol) or naproxen (Aleve).
A side effect of some chemotherapy drugs is a sore tongue, as is a rare condition called leukoplakia, where an overgrowth of cells on the surface of the mouth causes pain and irritation. After radiation therapy, a sore tongue is also commonly caused by mouth sores or lesions for head and neck cancers or other diseases like HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and leukemia. These conditions may cause oral cancer if they aren’t properly treated by a medical professional.
