geographical Tongue

[NYRR]

Recently I saw a dental pathologist for a chronic tongue problem. He said I have geographical Tongue. It flares up every now and then. Sometimes my tongue gets so irritated that it may bleed slightly. Can this be associated with GT?  I spoke to a my Dentist & MD who said that GT usually doesn't bleed but can, what do you think?  My doctor prescribed Desoximetasone to put on my tongue.  Of course, doing reasearch on the Net I came across Pemphigus vulgaris.  I don't think its PV, would I have different symptoms?

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

Geographic tongue is common and unimportant.  The tongue develops smooth areas that fluctuating, producing patterns that look like world maps, if you have a vivid imagination.  Cause is unknown.  Symptoms range from none to mild burning.  I've never seen bleeding, unless perhaps the tongue is rubbed excessively.  Tretament consists of topical cortisone preparations, like desoximetasone.

Pemphigus produces severe oral erosions, as well as skin blisters.  Doubt you have that.  Net searches can be alarming.

Best.

Dr. Rockoff

[tootie123]

I have lived with a geographic tongue for 42 years.  Certain foods set it off such as fresh pineapple (that's a killer) Other foods send me screaming out of the room but only if my tongue is irritated to begin with. Fresh fruit seems to be a particular irritant.  Good luck dealing with it.  Vitamin b12 complex c seemed to give me a little relief.

[Somers]

I suffer with GT, it comes and goes and can be quite painful at times.  I have noticed however that it appears and becomes painful after drinking orange juice.

My GP tells me it's nothing to worry about and I've been given nothing for the pain (and this can get very painful at times). If however, I am correct about orange juice (fruit juices) causing it to flare up then I know that I should reduce my intake.  It would be nice though if a cure could be found or at least some better advice than just not to worry about it, I feel like a freak!

[Somers]

I suffer with GT, very similar to Tootie123.  

It comes and goes and can be quite painful at times (usually the pain starts or gets worse after the symptoms have been around for a short time).  I have also noticed that it appears and becomes particularly painful after drinking orange juice.

My GP tells me it's nothing to worry about and I've been given nothing for the pain. If however, I am correct about orange juice (fruit juices) causing it to flare up then I can help myself by reducing my intake of fruit juices.  

It would be nice though if I could find some better advice than just not to worry about it, I feel like a freak when it appears!

[Somers]

I suffer with GT, very similar to Tootie123.  

It comes and goes and can be quite painful at times (usually the pain starts or gets worse after the symptoms have been around for a short time).  I have also noticed that it appears and becomes particularly painful after drinking orange juice.

My GP tells me it's nothing to worry about and I've been given nothing for the pain. If however, I am correct about orange juice (fruit juices) causing it to flare up then I can help myself by reducing my intake of fruit juices.  

It would be nice though if I could find some better advice than just not to worry about it, I feel like a freak when it appears!

[Somers]

I suffer with GT, very similar to Tootie123.  

It comes and goes and can be quite painful at times (usually the pain starts or gets worse after the symptoms have been around for a short time).  I have also noticed that it appears and becomes particularly painful after drinking orange juice.

My GP tells me it's nothing to worry about and I've been given nothing for the pain. If however, I am correct about orange juice (fruit juices) causing it to flare up then I can help myself by reducing my intake of fruit juices.  

It would be nice though if I could find some better advice than just not to worry about it, I feel like a freak when it appears!

[Shayle]

This is so cool. I have a geographic tongue. My symptoms are more like the Dr. described though.  It appears daily.  Every morning, I have a map going to who knows where all over my tongue.  Certain thing activate it but what happens is my tongue kinda rises. I feel it, it feels different...weird.
BUT, when I was a kid, the docs told my mom that it was a hereditary thing. We knew no one else who had it. UNTIL.... my 11 year old daughter's tongue started bleeding a few years back. For no apparent reason. There was a whitish ring around the spot that was bleeding. (I get the white rings without the blood.) I thought that was odd.  When I told my mom about it, she said.."That's nothing, I get that all the time when I drink orange juice and stuff. It hurts but it goes away." AHA!  There's a link there!  My daughter's activator is fresh pineapples. She can eat them on a pizza or on a Ham but not fresh or in fruit salads. She can't drink the juice either.  Vinegar SOMETIMES triggers it too.

[yzerfan]

A related discussion, Geographical Tongue was started.

[sunflower2146]

A related discussion, Geographic tongue was started.