Difficulty: Medium
Average Score: 88%
Practice
When assessing the tongue of an adult, an abnormal finding would be:
Correct answer
A
Rationale
The correct answer is A because a smooth, glossy dorsal surface of the tongue is abnormal in adults and may indicate glossitis or nutritional deficiencies. B is incorrect as a thin white coating is normal. Raised papillae (choice C) may indicate transient lingual papillitis but are not typically abnormal. Visible venous patterns (choice D) are normal on the ventral surface.