Geographic tongue is an inflammatory but harmless condition affecting the surface of your tongue. Over several days these patches on the tongue may change in shape andor size. Geographic tongue is a marvelous, descriptive name for one of the most common medical conditions of the tongue. Geographic tongue is a condition that causes spots on the tongues.
Geographic tongue may appear as a blotch or spot of redness with a white border. You know that little bitty sort of hairy looking stuff on your tongue. Geographic tongue, also known by several other terms, is an inflammatory condition of the mucous membrane of the tongue, usually on the dorsal surface. Geographic tongue is a condition that causes spots on the tongues surface, giving it a maplike appearance. The characteristic lesion in geographic tongue is reddish erythematous, degenerated atrophic patch or area on the tongue that is abnormally smooth because. Home remedies for geographic tongue authority remedies. When a child has this condition, he loses the bumps on the tongue that give it the normal rough appearance. It spreads peripherally, with the formation of sharply circumscribed ringed or gyrate red patches, each with a narrow yellowish white border, making the tongue resemble a map. This can usually be diagnosed with a clinical examination.
I have a red patch on my tongue, resembles an island, no pain, my dentist found it today wants to see me in 3 w more i have a red patch on my tongue, resembles an island, no pain, my dentist found it today wants to see me in 3 weeks, how worried should i be. Geographic tongue is a condition that gets its name from a maplike appearance on the upper surface and sides of your tongue. Geographic tongue can occur suddenly and persist for months or longer, and may often recur. It presents with maplike red areas hence its name of atrophy of filiform tongue papillae. Though usually harmless, you should check with your dentist to investigate red patches that last longer than 2 weeks. Geographic tongue benign migratory glossitis this is a common idiopathic condition affecting around 23% of the general population.
Its called geographic tongue because the patches have a maplike appearance. B12 deficiency will also make the tongue sore and beefy red in color. May 23, 2010 i have a red patch on my tonguein the center. A red tongue body with a bright shiny coat, little coat, or no coating indicates deficient heat. Benign migratory glossitis, also called geographic tongue, is a harmless benign inflammatory condition affecting the tongue s mucous membrane. Geographic tongue is characterised by irregularlyshaped, red, maplike, smooth and swollen patches surrounded by white lines. Do you have a red spot or patch on the root, tip, side, or under your tongue. Geographic tongue is a benign condition in the mouth that we see in some children from time to time. The tongue develops irregular, smooth, red areas, which may look like the outline of a map. Learn more about the symptoms, causes, risk factors, diagnosis, and. Geographic tongue results from the loss of tiny hairlike projections papillae on your tongue s surface. Geographic tongue or erythema migrans presents as multiple, welldemarcated patches of erythema surrounded by a thin, raised, whitish border. Be sure to contact a doctor immediately if you have a high fever and red.
Red spots under tongue could be an indication of canker sores, reactions produced by an allergic substance among other causes. What are the clinical features of geographic tongue. Jun 06, 2012 geographic tongue and erythema migrans are largely benign. Lichen planus white patches on the tongue and inside the cheek, with sore gums. There are usually wavy white lines next to the red patches.
These patches resemble little islands of redness on the dorsum top or surface of the tongue, and are surrounded by grayish white borders. Use a lighted instrument to check your tongue and mouth. There are various symptoms to expect which will include a sore throat and pain. Benign migratory glossitis, also called geographic tongue, is a harmless benign inflammatory condition affecting the tongues mucous membrane.
Geographic tongue, also known as benign migratory glossitis, is a harmless yet annoying condition that mostly affects the top and sides of your tongue. If you have geographic tongue, those papillae disappear, leaving behind patches of your tongue that are bald, smooth, and red. A red tongue body is darker than the normal red, which is pinkish in color. Erythroplakia and red patches in mouth dr tim poate, london. But the photograph you sent and as per your history the most possible diagnosis is geographic tongue or benign migratory glossitisbmg. It consist of white circular lesions surrounding some red patches on the surface of your tongue. Early squamous cell carcinoma presenting as a red patch on the tongue. B12 deficiency will also make the tongue sore and beefyred in color. Red lesions caused by hypersensitivity to drugs, foods or, most commonly, dental materials eg, denture adhesives, toothpastes, and mouth rinses can arise anywhere in. Geographic tongue, also termed benign migratory glossitis, is a common condition which usually affects the dorsal surface of the tongue. In order to improve hydration, you just need to increase the intake of fluid. Geographic tongue appears as smooth, red spots of an irregular shape on the side or top of your tongue. Diagnostic value of oral beefy red patch in vitamin b12 deficiency peiru zhou,1 hong hua,1 zhimin yan,1 liwu zheng,2 xiaosong liu1 1department of oral medicine, peking university school and hospital of stomatology, beijing, china. Geographic tongue occurs while the skin on the tongue is renewing.
The buccal mucosa, gingiva, palate, lips, and tongue are more frequently affected. It is extremely difficult to diagnose a clinical situation without visualizing it. By maintain hydration, you can be able to soothe many discomforts from geographic tongue. This papillae loss appears as smooth, red patches of varying shapes and sizes.
It is a harmless condition, but patients may seek medical attention if they experience discomfort or pain. It looks exactly like geographical tongue but without the faint white lining and i think its a bit. The beefy red patch in b12 deficiency is often confused with other oral red lesions figure 2. Parts of the upper layer of skin on the tongue shed too quickly, leaving tender red areas that are prone to infection, while other parts of the skin remain in place too long and take on a white appearance. Your physician or dentist can usually make a diagnosis of geographic tongue based on an examination of your tongue and your signs and symptoms. Mar 01, 2010 geographic tongue, fissured tongue, and hairy tongue are the most common tongue problems and do not require treatment. It is a common condition, affecting approximately 23% of the general population. Oral lesions occur in 2040% of the cases and are characterized by diffuse erythematous areas intermixed with thin whitish dots or lines and painful superficial erosions. They may occur on one area of the tongue before moving to another area after a few. A scarlet tongue that is also peeled or shiny indicates yin deficiency, usually of the heart andor lung depending on the area of swelling.
Once the dentist has determined that the redness is a result of geographic tongue, no further treatment is necessary. It appears on the top and sides of the tongue, and sometimes on the undersurface. The tongue is normally covered with tiny, pinkishwhite bumps papillae, which are actually short, fine, hairlike projections. Typically, affected tongues have a bald, red area of varying sizes that is. A geographic tongue is a condition where there is shedding of filiform papillae in different parts of the tongue, which leads to the formation of irregular tongue patches on the surface. Today i was looking at my tongue and i noticed a red patch to the left side of my tongue. Another remedy from the list of home remedies for geographic tongue which can efficiently treat the red patches is the hydrogen peroxide.
The tongue has many relationships and connections in the body, both to the meridians and the internal organs. Geographic tongue 2020 american academy of oral medicine. A white tongue can be a sign of a health condition. People with this condition have smooth, reddish patches surrounded by white borders on their tongues. Oct 28, 2016 geographic tongue, also known as benign migratory glossitis, is a harmless yet annoying condition that mostly affects the top and sides of your tongue. Im twenty years old and about 2 and a half weeks ago i noticed odd patches on my tongue. It is characterized by areas of smooth, red depapillation loss of lingual. It causes discolored bald patches on the tongues surface that often appear in an islandlike distribution, making the tongues surface look like a map. Red lesions caused by hypersensitivity to drugs, foods or, most commonly, dental materials eg, denture adhesives, toothpastes, and mouth rinses can arise anywhere in the oral cavity.
Five common tongue conditions often mistaken for thrush the. Red spots on tongue can also develop due to an allergic reaction after contact with different kinds of allergens such as. Diagnostic value of oral beefy red patch in vitamin b12. Red lesions of the oral mucosadifferential diagnosis, clinical features and treatment. Geographic tongue and erythema migrans are largely benign. Tongue exam stanford medicine 25 stanford medicine. Well on the patch on my tongue it looks like they have sort of rubbed off or something. Geographic tongue is actually a condition that gets its name from a maplike pattern of patches that form on the tongue in affected persons. Often a dentist or doctor discovers the condition during a routine oral examination. I have a painless, smooth red patch on my tongue, as. Geographic tongue is characterized by red patches on the surface of the tongue surrounded by a grayish white color. The oral beefy red patch was evaluated and identified by two clinicians who were trained by the principal investigator hh.
Because of the loss of bumps in certain areas of the tongue, there is a nonspecific inflammation that causes bright red patches. Other bacterial and fungal infections can lead to glossitis, which also causes the tongue to go red. A relationship between geographic tongue and psoriasis a skin disease has been. It is characterized by areas of smooth, red depapillation loss of lingual papillae which migrate over time. Geographic tongue nord national organization for rare. White rings with red patch surrounding the tongue by.
They both felt it looked like a burn but i am concerned it may be something else as i have been having a dry mouth and feel almost like a tightness under my tongue from time to time. The patches on the tongue are caused by an absence of papillae or tiny bumps in the affected area. Full text diagnostic value of oral beefy red patch in. If this is suspected than a blood test is advisable. This tip is the one from the list of home remedies for geographic tongue which you should definitely follow. It causes discolored bald patches on the tongue s surface that often appear in an islandlike distribution, making the tongue s surface look like a map. It is a condition which results in the appearance of a maplike pattern on the tongue surface as well as red spots on tongue. Nutritional deficiencies include iron, folate and vitamin b12 deficiency. The areas and patterns may change rapidly over hours. Aug 09, 2017 geographic tongue is a condition that causes spots on the tongue s surface, giving it a maplike appearance.
Find out what different tongue colors white, red, black mean, and read about symptoms and signs, home remedies and treatments, causes, and diagnosis of tongue problems. It is characterized by patches of depapillation and erythema bordered by a whitish peripheral zone. You may also experience burning or stinging on the tongue, especially after eating spicy or citrus foods such as an orange. Common tongue conditions in primary care american family. Table 1 shows the differential diagnoses and the characteristic features of each condition. Containing antibacterial property, it can prevent bacteria from growing inside the mouth, thus decrease the risk of being infected. Get rid of geographic tongue, tongue fissurescracks, bald.
Geographic tongue is a condition that gets its name from patches that look like a map on the top and sides of your tongue. Geographic tongue causes inflammation on the sides or top of the tongue and usually appears as a blotch or spot of redness surrounded by a white. Geographic tongue may go undetected for months or years. Ive had this small red patch on my tongue about 1cm in diamter for about 23 days now. The signs of geographic tongue are uneven red patches.
Geographic tongue begins with a depression on the lateral border or tip of the tongue, smoother and redder than the rest of the tongue surface. Geographic tongue may cause red areas on the tongue with white margins. With geographic tongue, patches on the surface of the tongue are missing papillae and appear as smooth, red islands, often with slightly. Parents usually are the ones to notice several large, red, slightly depressed, unusually smooth patches on the surface of their childs tongue when nothing was there hours before. Its very irritating to eat, it causes discomfort when food rubs on it, like a sting. Geographic tongue diagnosis and treatment mayo clinic. Geographic tongue is also known as erythema migrans tongue. Moreover, if you have red or dark red bumps on this part or on the floor of the mouth that have lasted longer or keep appearing to see your dentist urgently. Geographic tongue is a condition where irregular smooth, red patches that have a white or lightcoloured border occur on the tongue. A geographic tongue is a common condition and is completely benign and requires no treatment. Glossitis, by causing swelling of the tongue, may also cause the tongue to appear smooth. Theyre usually on your tongue but can also be on your gums, on your cheeks, on the.
This is a benign condition although sometimes a blood test is advisable to exclude nutritional deficiencies. You may notice that after a few weeks or months the position of these. The most common cause of a smooth tongue is the use of dentures. Geographic tongue figure 3, also known as benign migra tory glossitis or erythema migrans, affects 1 to 14 percent of the u. Sep 10, 2017 geographic tongue may go undetected for months or years.
Geographic tongue blotchy, red patches on the tongue that have a white or lightcoloured border credit. It is therefore very useful and important during inspection for confirming tcm diagnosis. Read about tongue problems like hairy tongue, canker sores, oral cancer, geographic tongue, and leukoplakia. They at first were xxxxxxx red, they now appear to be getting better but they arent going away. In some cases, the edges may appear to be slightly raised. Ask you to move your tongue around in various positions. Biting or burning your tongue with hot food or drink can cause pain and swelling.
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