Tongue Abnormalities / Developmental Disturbances of the Tongue

The tongue is an important organ that occupies a large area in the oral cavity covering the floor of the mouth. It is below the palate, and is surrounded by teeth on either side. Together with the palate, it performs the function of swallowing. It is rightly said that the tongue is a gateway to the esophagus.

A host of things can go wrong with the formation of the tongue, since it develops from multiple sources, rather than a single progenitor process. Most of the developmental disturbances of the tongue are related to its size and shape, though structural defects also exist.