Geographic tongue is a condition that is harmless and is caused by inflammation of the surface of the tongue. A healthy tongue will appear to be covered with tiny, pinkish-white bumps (papillae). When a patient has a geographic tongue, the tongue will appear to have missing patches that do not display any papillae. The borders of the “islands” on the tongue will also usually have slightly raised borders.
The tongue appears to have a map-like or geographic appearance when this condition is present, hence the name. The medical name for this condition is benign migratory glossitis.
The symptoms of geographic tongue are:
Some patients do not experience any symptoms other than a change in the appearance of their tongue. This condition can be present for years and then resolve on its own. It can also resolve and return.
The cause of geographic tongue is not known. There might be a link to psoriasis in some cases. There might also be a link between geographic tongue and lichen planus.
The risk factors for geographic tongue are largely related to family history. If you have a family member with this disorder, you will be more likely to get it yourself. If you have a fissured tongue, a condition that causes deep grooves in the surface of the tongue, you might also be at higher risk of getting geographic tongue.
Diagnosis is often made by a doctor based on the appearance of the tongue. A lighted instrument will be used to get a better look at the tongue. Your doctor might also ask to see you move your tongue around inside your mouth to check the muscle response it displays. Doctors often also gently palpate the tongue to look for tenderness and signs of changes to the texture or consistency of the tongue.
If you have been experiencing other symptoms of illness, your doctor will check for signs of infection, check for fever, or look for swollen lymph nodes in your neck.
Treatment of geographic tongue is not usually necessary. Typically, this condition resolves on its own. Your doctor might recommend that you take over-the-counter pain medications, or they could provide you with an anaesthetic mouth rinse if your tongue is particularly painful. Antihistamine mouth rinses can also be effective at helping manage the discomfort of this condition.
When there is severe discomfort present, your doctor might provide you with corticosteroid ointments or rinses. Vitamin B supplementation might also be helpful in some cases. This condition is not well understood, and more research is needed to understand which treatments are most effective.
Prevention of this condition is not possible. You might experience geographic tongue on and off throughout your life. Treatment of the discomfort associated with the condition is usually the only course of action for those suffering from geographic tongue.