What causes a person to have a geographic tongue?

Q: What causes geographic tongue? A: The cause of geographic tongue is unknown. Several factors have been proposed as possible causes such as emotional stress, psychological factors, habits, allergies, diabetes and hormonal disturbances. However, none of these factors have been conclusively linked to geographic tongue.

Why won’t my geographic tongue go away?

Even though this condition is harmless, you should still see a dentist or doctor if you develop patches on your tongue that do not go away after a couple of weeks. These patches can indicate geographic tongue, but they could also be a symptom of a more serious condition.

What vitamins are good for your tongue?

A red tongue may also signal B vitamin deficiencies. This is particularly the case with folic acid (vitamin B-9) and cobalamin (vitamin B-12). As these vitamin deficiencies are resolved, you’ll notice an improved appearance in your tongue.

What home remedy can I use to clean my tongue?

Position your toothbrush at the back of the tongue. Brush lightly forward and backward along your tongue. Spit out saliva that appears during the brushing and rinse out the toothbrush with warm water. Clean your tongue as often as you brush your teeth.

Is there a cure for geographic tongue?

In part due to the unknown causes, there is no known prevention for geographic tongue. Anesthetic and antihistamine mouthwash may be recommended as treatments for geographic tongue. Left untreated, most cases of geographic tongue clear up on their own with no medical intervention.

How to get rid of geographic tongue?

Clean the Tongue. As a generally accepted rule of thumb,brushing your teeth twice a day and flossing once a day is enough to maintain good oral hygiene.

How do you treat geographic tongue?

Another good home remedy for geographic tongue is vegetable glycerin . It is especially effective in keeping the tongue well moistened, which speeds up the healing process. It even helps get rid of bad breath. Soak a cotton ball in vegetable glycerin and apply it on your tongue.

Is geographic tongue permanent or will it go away?

While the changes in appearance caused by the condition may come and go, they do not cause permanent damage to the tongue and the condition is not believed to have any long-term health consequences. The exact cause of geographic tongue is unknown.