Cleft tongue syndrome, also called the bifid tongue, have a split running along the length of their tongue. Clefting occurs because the body fails to completely develop in order to join the two sides of the tongue together. Prenatal ultrasounds sometimes detect the presence of the cleft before birth. The cause is usually unknown and cannot be prevented, but sometimes exposure to certain viruses or drugs during pregnancy may cause cleft tongue. The biggest problem with cleft tongue is difficulty eating. Most of the time, a cleft tongue can be fixed by surgery up to several months after birth. Other than this, children with cleft tongue lead a normal life.

A bifid or cleft tongue (glossoschissis) is a tongue with a groove or split running lengthwise along the tip of the tongue. It is the result of incomplete fusion of the distal tongue buds. A bifid tongue may be an isolated deformity and has also been reported to be associated with maternal diabetes.

Tongue Anatomy

a muscular organ on the floor of the mouth; it aids in chewing, swallowing, and speech, and is the location of organs of taste. The taste buds are located in the papillae, which are projections on the upper surface of the tongue. The condition of the tongue can sometimes be a guide to the general condition of the body. glossitis (inflammation of the tongue) can accompany anemia, scarlet fever, nutritional deficiencies, and most general infections. Sometimes it is part of an adverse reaction to medication. One form of glossitis causes a smooth tongue, with a red, glazed appearance. A coated or furry tongue may be present in a variety of illnesses, but does not necessarily indicate illness. A dry tongue sometimes indicates insufficiency of fluids in the body, or it may result from fever. When the tongue is extremely dry and has a leathery appearance, the cause may be uremia.
The tongue develops during the fourth week of intrauterine life, originating from a median swelling, the tuberculum impar on the floor of the pharynx and two lateral lingual swellings joining this central structure. These lateral lingual structures grow rapidly to cover the tuberculum impar to form the anterior two-thirds of the tongue.[] When this process is disturbed, tip of the tongue is divided longitudinally for a certain distance giving rise to cleft tongue/bifid tongue. The occurrence of bifid tongue in the absence of other orofacial abnormalities is a rare entity by itself and usually receives attention much later compared to those seen in association with certain syndromes.[]

References

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