I am a 28 year old heterosexual married male in healthy condition, except I was told that I have geographic tongue by my oral surgeon. I understand that this condition is not serious nor contagious, but it has been about 6 months without end. Steroid rinse has not worked. I don't understand how "there is nothing wrong", but the geographic tongue will not cease. Should I have my blood tested by some type of specialist? Any suggestions? I just want it to go away and stay away.

Usually the topical corticosteroid will normally take care of your problem with geographic tongue. However, if you do not remove the source, then it will not clear up until it has ran its normal course of duration which can last from a few weeks to a couple of months. Also, the choice of topical steroids may make a difference. At the Oral Health Center of Grady Health System, we use Decadron elixir or Celestone syrup.

What you need to look at is have you had any increased stress in your life lately, if so then change it if you can to take it back to the level that it once was prior to geographic tongue. Also, you could be having a response to some food in your diet. Watch the types of food that you have taken in and see if it has changed in the last six months. With the brushing of the tongue, have you changed your tooth paste in the past six months, if so then this could go along with the food irritant issue. Furthermore, be sure to brush your tongue to keep the fungal and bacterial amounts down. Do this gently though, you do not need to irritate it any more. So, if you have changed your tooth paste, go back to the tooth paste that you were using.

Take care,

Dr. Tony Long for Dr. Reznik