# Geographic tongue **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 18, 2017, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geographic-tongue/780181 "2017-02-18T21:43:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Patx2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/73ab20/32.png) [@Patx2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patx2)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2017, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geographic-tongue/780181/1 "2017-02-18T21:43:43Z")
Anyone ever heard of this? I think my daughter has it. Every so often, parts of her tongue just seem to peel off. At first we thought it would happen when she was sick, but it seems to be more frequent. Her doctor didn’t seem to know what it was, he said ask the dentist. The dentist said it’s viral or fungal, in other words, I don’t know. I’ve read online there could be a sketchy connection to psoriasis, but she doesn’t have that. It says it could also be caused by thyroid issues. I’m having her retested, last year she was fine. Other causes may be anemia or a hormone imbalance. She is on the pill because of severe cramps which could be hormonal, but she and I think it’s endometriosis. They won’t test her at her age (story for another day.) Anyway, if you have it, what’s the cause of yours? I’d be happy for any information. The good news is it isn’t anything serious. I feel bad though because it can be irritating. I made cheeseburgers the other night and the ketchup, obviously the acidity bothered her. Anyone know anything to soothe it or accelerate the outbreaks so they go away sooner? Thanks dopers! ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2017, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geographic-tongue/780181/2 "2017-02-18T22:26:50Z")
Medical advice is best suited to IMHO. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![rsat3acr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a3d4f5/32.png) [@rsat3acr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rsat3acr)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2017, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geographic-tongue/780181/3 "2017-02-18T23:47:30Z")
Dentist here. The cause of geographic tongue is unknown. It is the desquamitization of the dorsal surface of the tongue. Not sure why your dentist said viral or fungal. Entirely benign. Some people have it all the time and in others it comes and goes. Really nothing to worry about. ---
**Author:** ![Patx2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/73ab20/32.png) [@Patx2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patx2)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2017, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geographic-tongue/780181/4 "2017-02-19T00:06:37Z")
Thanks to both of you. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2017, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geographic-tongue/780181/5 "2017-02-19T01:07:27Z")
My sister has it, she calls it “map tongue”, when it’s flared up, the groves are really deep and it’s sensitive enough that she sometimes has trouble eating. But it’s not a problem from day to day. In general, at least with her, it’s just a thing. An annoying thing, but nothing (again, for her, according to her dentist) to concern herself with. ---
**Author:** ![FinsToTheLeft](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/finstotheleft/32/2930_2.png) [@FinsToTheLeft](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinsToTheLeft)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2017, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geographic-tongue/780181/6 "2017-02-19T01:40:46Z")
I have it off and on. I’ve never been able to tie it to foods that I have eaten. I do have deep fissures in my tongue, but I don’t notice any differences in taste or sensitivity when it shows up. ---
**Author:** ![albino\_manatee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/albino_manatee/32/2_2.png) [@albino\_manatee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/albino_manatee)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2017, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geographic-tongue/780181/7 "2017-02-19T02:16:23Z")
my dentist told me i have the _“condition”_ as well. i used to think it appeared because i tend to grind my teeth during my sleep. and … during day time, if i would grind my teeth … the reaction would be evident on my tongue immediately. but, yes, tomato definitely irritates/inflames the condition. however … i have not pampered myself … still eat my food “thai-hot” … and request jalapenos on most sandwiches. ---
**Author:** ![Sigene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df788c/32.png) [@Sigene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigene)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2017, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geographic-tongue/780181/8 "2017-02-19T05:06:18Z")
A girl in my comparative vertebrate anatomy class had it. She was a hit! The perfect class to bring it up. ---
**Author:** ![Girl\_From\_Mars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3da27b/32.png) [@Girl\_From\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Girl_From_Mars)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2017, 8:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geographic-tongue/780181/9 "2017-02-19T08:20:42Z")
I think it was my sister who had it as a child; more of a curiosity than a hindrance if I recall. She hasn’t mentioned it in 10-20 years so no long term issues that I know of. ---
**Author:** ![MickNickMaggies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/59ef9b/32.png) [@MickNickMaggies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MickNickMaggies)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2017, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geographic-tongue/780181/10 "2017-02-19T15:54:59Z")
I get it when I’m pregnant. It’s only very occasionally that I have a sensitivity to acidity or to things like chillis- that seems to come and go in waves. I’ve asked and received a few shrugs from medical types, and the response that I just shouldn’t eat certain things if they happen to hurt on that day. ---
**Author:** ![Patx2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/73ab20/32.png) [@Patx2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patx2)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2017, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geographic-tongue/780181/11 "2017-02-19T16:53:46Z")
> [@Girl\_From\_Mars](#): > > I think it was my sister who had it as a child; more of a curiosity than a hindrance if I recall. She hasn’t mentioned it in 10-20 years so no long term issues that I know of. That’s interesting. I wonder if she’s just become accustomed to it or if it’s something that went away as mysteriously as it began. ---
**Author:** ![Patx2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/73ab20/32.png) [@Patx2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patx2)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2017, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geographic-tongue/780181/12 "2017-02-19T16:57:19Z")
> [@MickNickMaggies](#): > > I get it when I’m pregnant. It’s only very occasionally that I have a sensitivity to acidity or to things like chillis- that seems to come and go in waves. > > I’ve asked and received a few shrugs from medical types, and the response that I just shouldn’t eat certain things if they happen to hurt on that day. My daughter is 15 and is not nor has ever been pregnant, thank goodness 😊. I find the pregnancy link interesting though, because as I said upthread, she’s on the pill for severe cramps which may be because of hormonal issues. I wonder if there’s a link although she’s had the tongue issues before and while being on the pill.