Geographic tongue. This is an inflammatory condition of the dorsum or top and sides of the tongue. it takes the form of denudations of the lingual surface (or loss of lingual papillae) in patches of redness that shift in position over hours and days. The cause of the condition is not known; there may be some relationship to psoriasis. Geographic tongue is fairly common and is not an indication of oral cancer, No treatment is effective. The condition is largely asymptomatic, but sometimes the tongue can burn when hot, spicy, or acidic food is eaten.
Color Atlas of Pediatric Dermatology
Samuel Weinberg, Neil S. Prose, Leonard Kristal
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