A swollen tongue is an abnormal condition in which the entire tongue or a portion of it is enlarged, bloated or distended.Your tongue is made up of muscles and the upper surface is lined with taste buds. Your tongue helps you to talk, swallow, taste and chew.A swollen tongue can result from infection, inflammation, allergy, genetic disorders, trauma, malignancy, metabolic diseases, and other abnormal processes.A chronically swollen tongue over a long period of time can be due to acromegaly, sarcoma, oral cancer, or Down syndrome.our tongue is made up of muscles and the upper surface is lined with taste buds. Your tongue helps you to talk, swallow, taste and chew. A swollen tongue can result from infection, inflammation, allergy, genetic disorders, trauma, malignancy, metabolic diseases, and other abnormal processes.