Have you ever looked at your tongue in the mirror and thought you were looking at a roadmap of the state of Florida? Or maybe on another day, it was more like Pennsylvania. Well, don’t be alarmed, this benign condition, called geographic tongue, is no threat to your health. But here are some interesting facts about this disorder (also referred to as migratory glossitis or wandering rash of the tongue) that you should know.
Causes and Symptoms
The exact cause of migratory glossitis is not known, but according to the National Organization for Rare Diseases (NORD), the map-like appearance of the tongue is the result of inflammation. Normally, the tongue is covered with a layer of tiny bumps called papillae, but if for some reason any of these fingerlike projections are lost, those areas of the tongue will be smooth and flat and take on a redder appearance. And these affected areas can change in size and location daily, giving a different appearance of the tongue each time. The good news is that in most cases there is no discomfort and no is treatment needed, although geographic tongue can persist for weeks. And for some people, it goes away only to return at some point in the future.…show more content… The National Institutes of Health’s Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center says that about 5 percent of people with geographic tongue are bothered by pain or sensitivity, especially when eating spicy or acidic foods. If your tongue is painful, easily irritated by certain foods and drinks, or has become severely swollen, interfering with eating, speaking or swallowing, make an appointment with your dentist for a diagnosis. But see your doctor or dentist any time you have a lesion on your tongue that doesn’t go away within 10 days to make sure it is nothing
