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Geographic Tongue
Aka: Geographic Tongue, Migratory Glossitis, Benign Migratory Glossitis, Glossitis Areata Exfoliativa, Glossitis Areata Migrans, Erythema Migrans of the Dorsal Tongue
- Epidemiology
- Prevalence: 1-3% in U.S. (common)
- More common in those with a Family History of Geographic Tongue
- Pathophysiology
- Benign condition
- No good evidence that is associated with other conditions (e.g. atopy, Diabetes Mellitus, Psoriasis)
- Unclear etiology
- Symptoms
- Asymptomatic in most cases
- Tongue Burning or food sensitivity may occur with spicy foods
- Signs
- Scattered bright red areas (bare patches) on Tongue dorsum
- Denuded of papillae, smooth (filiform atrophy)
- Map-like pattern on dorsal or lateral Tongue
- Surrounded by light yellow or white elevated rings (serpiginous white borders)
- Pattern changes within days
- Associated Conditions
- Fissured Tongue
- Management: Symptomatic lesions
- No treatment is uniformly effective
- Treatments that have been tried
- Topical Corticosteroids
- Zinc supplementation
- Topical Anesthetics
- Sucralfate
- Tongue sensitivity may respond to Topical Steroid gel or Antihistamine rinse
- Consider systemic medications (Corticosteroids, Calcineurin Inhibitors) in severe cases
- References
- Assimakopoulos (2002) Am J Med 113(9): 751-5 [PubMed]
- Randall (2022) Am Fam Physician 105(4): 369-76 [PubMed]