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Definition
By Mayo Clinic staffGeographic tongue is a harmless (benign) oral condition that gives your tongue a map-like, or geographic, appearance. The distinct look of geographic tongue occurs when parts of your tongue are missing the layer of small bumps called papillae. This causes irregularly shaped smooth, red patches to form on parts of your tongue, like a rash.
Although geographic tongue may look alarming, it doesn't cause any health problems and isn't associated with infection or cancer. Geographic tongue is usually painless but can sometimes cause tongue discomfort and increased sensitivity to certain substances. Geographic tongue often heals in one area and then moves (migrates) to a different part of your tongue. Geographic tongue is also known as benign migratory glossitis.
- Shulman JD, et al. Prevalence and risk factors associated with geographic tongue among U.S. adults. Oral Diseases. 2006;12:381-386.
- Assimakopoulos D, et al. Benign migratory glossitis or geographic tongue: An enigmatic oral lesion. American Journal of Medicine. 2002;113:751-755.
- Jainkittivong A, et al. Geographic tongue: Clinical characteristics of 188 cases. The Journal of Contemporary Dental Practice. 2005;6(1):123-135.
- Gonsalves W, et al. Common oral lesions: Part I. Superficial mucosal lesions. American Family Physician. 2007;75:501-507.
