Unews World
Kate McKinnon, the beloved ‘Saturday Night Live’ alum, has recently revealed that she was diagnosed with Geographic Tongue. In a recent interview with People magazine, she revealed her diagnosis and spoke about the ‘gross’ condition. The actress-comedian opened up about the condition during a lighthearted segment about the last photo on her phone. “I took a photo of my tongue and sent it to an actor friend of mine. We both have the same medical condition,” she said. “It’s gross,” McKinnon added. “We brag about how geographic we are on any given day.”
Pic courtesy: X/ Pride site
But what really is a Geographic Tongue? Does this condition have anything to do with geography? Well, here’s everything you need to know about geographic tongue.
What is Geographic Tongue ?
Geographic tongue is an inflammatory condition affecting the surface of the tongue. This harmless condition causes smooth reddish patches on the tongue. These patch patterns resemble land masses and oceans seen on maps, and hence the name. It is also known as benign migratory glossitis, erythema migrans, and annulus migrans. This condition is benign, which means it doesn’t spread. Though this is harmless and doesn’t cause pain, it is important to talk to your doctor if you notice such changes on your tongue.
How to identify a Geographic Tongue?
Normally, the tongue surface is covered with tiny, pinkish-white bumps called papillae. However, people with a geographic tongue develop smooth, red patches where these papillae are missing, often bordered by white or gray outlines. These lesions may persist for several days to weeks and then disappear and reappear in a different location. It can appear on the top, sides, or underside of the tongue, and less commonly, on the gums, cheeks, or roof of the mouth. Geographic Tongue can affect people of all ages; however, it is more prevalent in young adults and women. It is a rare condition, and is only seen in about 3% of all people worldwide.
What are the symptoms?
Many people with geographic tongue experience no symptoms. Some of the commonly found symptoms include:
- Red, smooth, and irregularly shaped patches on the top or side of your tongue. It may look like sores.
- Patches are changing in size, shape, and location.
- Pain and burning sensation to spicy, salty, acidic, or hot foods and drinks like citrus, tomatoes, or coffee.
- Mild pain and discomfort while eating, speaking, or brushing the teeth.
- Swollen lymph nodes in the lower jaw or a metallic taste in rare cases.
When to see a doctor?
As the condition is harmless, treatment may not be necessary. However, for symptomatic cases, treatment is available. For asymptomatic people, treatment won’t be necessary. If you have symptoms, it is important to consult a doctor, who can prescribe medication to help ease symptoms.
