Michael J. Neary DDS, PC
| Article |
Travelling with an Atlas
It can be startling to look in the mirror at your tongue and realize it looks like Route 66. Don't be alarmed, you might have a condition called "geographic tongue."
Geographic tongue is not caused by infection; it isn't cancerous, and it doesn't cause any health problems. It is a harmless event that occurs when your tongue sheds random patches of those tiny fingers called papillae that cover your tongue.
There is a wide variation in the nude patches' appearance, from bright red blistery blotches to pale pink blotches outlined by a light yellow or whitish border.
Events come and go on their own schedule. An event might last a few hours, days or months. Within minutes, the patches can change locations on your tongue.
Geographic tongue affects people of all ages and rarely causes pain; however, it sometimes can be discomforting.
We're not sure what causes geographic tongue, but we tend to see it patients who—
- are extremely stressed,
- experience hormonal changes,
- have allergies or psoriasis,
- have family with the same condition,
- use oral care products that contain alcohol, drink alcoholic beverages or
- use steroids.
There is no known cure or treatment, but to relieve discomfort, sometimes over-the-counter pain-relievers can be beneficial as well as a special mouth rinse that contains a topical anesthetic. You might try avoiding hot, spicy foods and tobacco products or toothpaste that contains heavy flavoring or a whitening agent.
When you notice anything different in your mouth, please call and make an appointment. A simple oral exam is all we need to diagnose geographic tongue so that we can rule out a more serious condition. Then, you can travel with an atlas, not your road map tongue.