Have you ever heard about geographic tongue?
Consider it as a harmless inflammatory condition that affects the surface of the tongue, giving a look of a map because of the patches. These patches are smooth and red, often with slightly raised borders that appear in one area and then move to a different part of the tongue.
Can cause tongue pain and make you more sensitive to certain foods, such as spices, salt and even sweets.
It’s geographic tongue symptoms!
- Smooth, red, irregularly shaped patches on the top or side of your tongue. These patches may look like sores.
- Frequent changes in the location, size and shape of the patches.
- Pain or burning feeling in some cases, most often related to eating spicy or acidic foods.
Geographic tongue can continue for days, months or years. The problem often goes away on its own, but it may appear again later.
When to see a doctor or dentist?
Many people with geographic tongue have no symptoms, they won’t need treatment. If you have symptoms, they may be related to a fungal infection, so see your doctor or dentist for any prescribed medicine to help.
Do you know?
Experts estimate about 3% of all people worldwide have geographic tongue. People with this condition may not have symptoms and may not seek medical care, so it’s possible that more people than estimated have geographic tongue.
Who has geographic tongue?
Anyone can develop geographic tongue, from babies to children to adults. The condition is slightly more common in young adults than in older adults. It may occur in:
- People with eczema and psoriasis.
- People with airborne allergies.
- People with diabetes, particularly Type 1 diabetes.
- People with reactive arthritis.
- Women who use oral contraceptives.
- People with vitamin deficiencies, including zinc, iron, folic acid and vitamins B6 and B12.
- People with fissured tongue, a condition that causes deep grooves or wrinkles on your tongue.
- People dealing with emotional stress.
Important fact to know:
Food doesn’t cause geographic tongue, but spicy foods may create tingling or burning sensations where you have patches.
If you have any inquiry and do not know what to do about it or feel any discomfort, do not hesitate to consult Dr. Abid Hidayat at the Smile Team Family Dentistry, giving a call at at 416-546-5599, he will give the ideal treatment for you.