geographic tongue
MONDO:0005771
A benign condition characterized by the development of irregular patches in the surface of the tongue resulting in a map-like appearance. The patches migrate from day to day and usually resolve without treatment.
Research intelligence
Directly mapped studies only · unique clinical trialsCurrent registry observations. Phase counts may overlap. Study start dates are not registry registration dates. Investigational interventions are not approved-treatment recommendations.
Medications under investigation
Verified disease and drug mappings that co-occur within the same study; not evidence of effectiveness.
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Geographic tongue
Geographic tongue, also known by several other terms, is a condition of the mucous membrane of the tongue, usually on the dorsal surface. It is a condition affecting approximately 2–3% of the general population. It is characterized by areas of smooth, red depapillation (loss of lingual papillae) that migrate over time. The name comes from the map-like appearance of the tongue, with the patches resembling the islands of an archipelago. The cause is unknown, but the condition is entirely benign (importantly, it does not represent oral cancer), and there is no curative treatment. Uncommonly, geographic tongue may cause a burning sensation on the tongue, for which various treatments have been described with little formal evidence of efficacy.
Background only. Canonical identity remains MONDO; clinical-trial relationships come from ClinicalTrials.gov.Drugs being studied
Disease identity and terminology: MONDO. Trial relationships: ClinicalTrials.gov.