Geographic Tongue, anything I can do?

[WildMedicMan45]

I posted this in the Dental section as well, since dentists are taught to diagnose Geographic Tongue, but I was just curious if anyone had any ideas that I may not have heard elsewhere?  Since it is suspected to be an autoimmune disorder (granted not one that really affects the quality of one's life drastically).  Thanks!

[Harrigo]

I have read a very scientific report on the benefit of Zinc Sulphate, djh.umsha.ac.ir/upfile/74010Final%20of%20Journal3.pdf, anyone tried that?

[aboutcool]

Wow this is a great discussion about Geographic tongue. I have posted on my profile some pictures of how my tongue looks, is this consistent with what you guys are experiencing with Geographic Tongue ? My dentist says this is what I have but its just so strange to have started out of the blue at 31 . Feel free to post or private messag me thanks !

[jueikaifda]

I also suffer from having Geographic Tongue and I discovered that when I take B12 supplements, the lesions on my tongue disappear. As soon as I stopped taking the B12 tablets, the lesions came back. I also just discovered that I have a B12 deficiency, so perhaps that is the main reason why I have this issue. I have also noticed that when my tongue gets bad, I am about to have my period or I am suffering from stress. I think it is a combination of a lack of B12, hormones and stress. I hope this helps and what I have read from all of you so far has been extremely helpful for me. I am 22 years old and I just started to have Geographic Tongue for the first time 7 months ago. I will try some of the things you all have mentioned earlier. Thank you :)

[Catnip603]

The B vitamin Pantothenic Acid (B-5) works like a charm for me.  I take two capsules twice a day along with a B-complex just for a day or two and it resolves the problem every time.  Mine are always quite painful so "just live with it" was not an acceptable option.  

[WildMedicMan45]

Wow, great to have such a thorough post from someone who has had it resolved.  Interestingly enough I already do a lot of the things you are suggesting.  

I take fish oil and a multivitamin daily with a well balanced diet of homecooked food.  I have at one point used biotene and once was more vigilant about brushing my tongue.  I'm also in therapy currently, so I do think that you may be on to something with the stress factor as it also seems to flare up during times of greater stress.  

I'm curious.  When you say 98% resolved, are you still continuing treatment with multiple tongue brushing and biotene swishing daily or have you stopped all preventative measures?  To me, living how I lived before geographic tongue would be the goal and I probably wouldn't pursue treatment like that if it wasn't something that I could eventually stop.

Thanks for the post!

[Lowan]

Hi.  I developed Geo Tongue around 4 months ago after a very stressful event.  I have had the classic denuding of the surface papilla off (sometimes large) areas of the top of my tongue, some soreness and a really ugly looking white/yellow tongue for quite some time.  Seen dentists, ENT, Oral surgeon - all said, don't worry no big deal.

After 4 months, I now seem to have things well under control and I have a happy, pink tongue again.  My thoughts:

1. Manage any stress in your life - I ended up seeing a psychologist for management / advice re (other) stress issues. I started relaxing / exercising more/ meditation. I think this is a big part of the deal.
2. Eat a good diet - lots of fruit & veg.
3. I am taking a range of diet supplements (as I also have a painful condition called Burning Mouth - still dealing with that), so I'm also taking daily supplementation of alpha lipoic acid, acetyl-L-carnitine, fish oils (all available from health supply stores), mutli-vitamins
4. Regular brushing of tongue (gently) with a toothpaste (that doesn't contain sodium lauryl sulphate) & (gentle) use of tongue scraper - clean tongue as suggested at least 3 X per day.
5.Finally rinse with Biotene mouthwash (I use multiple times per day as a swish - very soothing).
6. Be patient - my geo-tongue took over 12 weeks to come good and of all the above, but it has - yours will too, I think managing underlying stress (often about the appalling state of my tongue) is the key.

As stated, I'm 98% resolved, for the first time in around 16 weeks.  I've read that it does /can spontaneously recover, so all the above suggestions, might simply be timed to coincide with self recovery.

(I've tried a raft of other things including diluted peroxide - did nothing for me, dilute povidine iodine - nothing etc etc).  

Best wishes for a quick recovery - it's not pleasant.

Lowan

[WildMedicMan45]

Hmm, those are very interesting symptoms.  I'm curious about the need for antibiotics if it's an autoimmune disorder.  Corticosteroids have also been said to work for geographic tongue as well, though mine isn't serious enough to warrant that kind of treatment.  

I guess by a test you mean they can't take your blood and find a pathogen?  I think that's how it is with most autoimmune diseases; the symptoms are the only indicators of what is really wrong.  

I don't experience any other symptoms associated with hyperthyroidism apart from my tongue that would indicate anything like Grave's Syndrome.  

My symptoms were extremely bad when I first discovered it biting that apple, it was like one day I had a normal tongue and the next I woke up with a tongue covered in lesions.  I looked for cures everywhere and found very few, Vitamin B-12 helped reduce the size and pain of the spots.  Then I found a personal account of someone who had swished with Hydrogen Peroxide daily.  Surprisingly that REALLY reduced the lesions, but my dentist got pretty upset.  You should NOT put hydrogen peroxide in your mouth, very dumb idea on my part.  Especially after taking organic chemistry, on the molecular level it probably does more harm than good.  Hydrogen peroxide on any soft tissue is really not a good idea.

It's been on the decline since my first incident, although excessive blueberry consumption will cause it to cover my entire tongue for a couple days, even so it usually goes back to being pretty asymptomatic.

[laborlawchick]

thanks for the info.

You are so young to have to deal with it, you sound very grounded and have a peace of mind.

  I do get sporadic white (sometimes painful) "patches" (mainly on the sides) and yes, I have to say It is NOT thrush and I am not contagious.  Pineapple and cinnamon aggravates mine.  Have you found that the symptoms are progressively getting worse and longer bouts with them?  Atypical Graves disease is often associated with an insect bite (which is what happened to me, after the bite, my glands swelled and it took months before I started recovering.  Prednisone and antibiotics were my new best friends.  Atypical Grave's is quirky and there is no test for it that I know about

Best,

Carly  

[want2bik1]

Have you heard of "Oil Pulling".  It is a procedure which is suppose to pull toxins from the body;  Might be worth  a try.  Good Luck.

[WildMedicMan45]

You can do a google image search for exactly what it is.  Basically areas of the tongue are denuded of papillae and are often surrounded by raised white edges.  These spots can be painful.  The condition is often exacerbated by trigger foods.  For me, acidic foods will do it.  Generally the condition afflicts people with allergies (I have seasonal allergies).  

There is a lot of misrepresentation of the disease being caused by candida or some yeast or fungus, while this is occasionally the case and geographic does present very similarly to things like thrush, it isn't cured by antifungal treatments or other similar things (although treatment may coincidentally coincide with a dormant period).

There is no known treatment, although people have reported benefits from zinc and vitamin B-12 supplements, both of which I take.

That's all that I can recall off the top of my head.  I remember having bad seasonal allergies and eating an apple at the time.  I've always seemed to have a minor food allergy to apples (scratchy throat after eating one even today).  Although I know the brain's power of association can be very strong so I don't want to make any conclusions.  Despite that, allergy meds do nothing anyway.  

I posted here because people believe it to be hereditary and autoimmune and generally people who have geographic tongue are more likely to develop psoriasis.

I'm 22, I've had this since I was 18, I'm male.  And if wikipedia stats are right I'm one of approximately 450 guys in the United States with this.  I'm active and healthy otherwise and would LOVE to get rid of this.

[laborlawchick]

I never heard of that diagosis, but I was told that atypical Grave's disease (and no one knows why) is often associated with a bug bite.  I was bit by a spider ten years ago and that is when everything started with me.  Grave's also is associated with patches of no pigment (vertilligo - sp?) and other rashes that may ebb and flow.

can you describe your symptoms?

Best,

Carly