Traveling Tongue Patches

 Now you see it, now you don't. That is a pretty accurate description of a pretty weird condition called GEOGRAPHIC TONGUE (benign migratory glossitis). The tip-off for geographic tongue is irregular patches of missing papillae that makes the tongue look like a map, hence its name. The patches pop up in one place and then disappear, only to reappear on another part of the tongue. The spots may be white and rough or red and smooth.

Geographic tongue is a benign condition. Although its cause is unknown, it tends to run in families. It is usually painless, but some people have discomfort when eating spicy food.