What is this bump or sore on the tip of my tongue?

The tip is the busiest part of your tongue. It meets every hot drink first, touches the front teeth thousands of times a day, and is where most fungiform papillae sit. DermNet describes fungiform papillae as small, usually flat pink bumps scattered over the top and sides of the tongue, mainly toward the tip. They carry taste buds and have a good blood supply, so when they are irritated they swell and redden quickly and become easy to see and feel.

That is why a tiny, sharp, pimple-like bump on the very tip of the tongue is such a common complaint, and why most of them are gone by the time you could get an appointment.

• Lie bumps (transient lingual papillitis). DermNet describes the classic form as a single painful red or white bump, usually toward the tip, that lasts 1 to 2 days and may come back weeks or months later. Several bumps at once are also possible. Full guide: lie bumps on the tongue.
• A burn. Cleveland Clinic notes that a burned tongue can produce small red or white bumps as the papillae and taste buds swell. Most mild burns heal in a few days.
• Rubbing on the front teeth or braces. A habit of pushing the tongue against the teeth, a chipped front tooth or a new orthodontic appliance can keep the tip irritated. A study of transient lingual papillitis cases found redness at the tip that suggested tongue thrusting, in one case against a fixed brace.
• Biting it. A bite while chewing or talking leaves a tender, swollen spot that usually heals within a week or two.
• Acidic, spicy or sugary food. Citrus, vinegar, pineapple, hot sauce and sour candy are common triggers for sore papillae at the tip.
• A canker sore. A shallow round ulcer with a white or yellow center and red rim. More on canker sores on the tongue.

Two causes are mostly seen in young children:

• Eruptive lingual papillitis. DermNet describes a sudden illness in young children with enlarged, inflamed papillae on the tip and the sides of the tip, sometimes looking like little pustules, often with fever, swollen glands, drooling and not wanting to eat. It lasts about a week on average and often spreads to other family members, which suggests a virus.
• Hand, foot and mouth disease. The NHS describes a sore throat and fever followed by painful mouth ulcers and a spotty rash on the hands and feet. It usually clears in 7 to 10 days.

A child who is not drinking enough, is very drowsy, or has a high fever that is not coming down needs a doctor the same day.

If a bump on the tip has been there for weeks rather than days, it is more likely to be one of these:

None of these can be safely identified from a photo, and the AAFP notes that tongue growths usually need a biopsy to tell benign lumps from precancerous or cancerous ones. Cancer at the very tip is much less common than on the sides, but a lasting ulcer or a white or red patch anywhere on the tongue still needs a professional look.

• Cool it down. Cold water, ice chips or a popsicle numb a sore tip quickly.
• Rinse with salt water. Half a teaspoon of salt in a glass of warm water, swished and spat out.
• Pause the triggers for a few days: acidic fruit, spicy food, very hot drinks and sour candy.
• Do not pop or pick at it. Cleveland Clinic points out that lie bumps may look like tongue pimples, but they are part of the tongue, not trapped pus.
• Check your front teeth and any brace for a rough edge the tip keeps rubbing.
• Brush and scrape gently. Most tongue cleaning happens further back anyway. Keep the scraper away from the tip while it is sore.