TONGUE UPDATE

[joat]

Posted about thrush on tongue a while ago. GP referred me urgently to Consultant at local hospital and within two days I was given an appt the next day. Saw him this morning and have Geographic tongue!! Has anyone heard of this? Must say I was worried before as I had tongue cancer 20 odd years ago. Was taking Nystatin and told to stop straight away. Sometimes the NHS can be wonderful.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

webmd.com/oral-health/guide...

I've heard of it - and there was someone else recently on another forum with it!!!

[Soraya_PMR in reply to PMRpro]

Seen more frequently in people with psoriasis, interesting.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Soraya_PMR]

Very interesting, indeed.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

No, never. But I had to look it up.

Thankfully it looks a lot worse than it is - but certainly a talking point!

Wonder if you live in the Southern Hemisphere does it appear upside down? 🌍

Sorry, but it is Friday!

[joat in reply to DorsetLady]

No need to apologise. Actually live in West Sussex!!

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to joat]

I know you live in UK. - my feeble attempt at a joke!

[joat in reply to DorsetLady]

Sorry my feeble GCA reply!

[Blearyeyed in reply to joat]

My GCA isn't feeble its very healthy and likes to shout out whenever it can get away with it .

It's me that seems pathetically weak and feeble carrying that GCA and it's PMR buddy around everyday .

Wish they'd be happy to get off my shoulders and travel on a shopping trolley instead , life would be alot easier.😋😁😂😂😂😂

Could we get a geography lesson on the topography of West Sussex by looking at your tongue?

There you go another silly comment to hopefully raise a smile.

Glad you have some reassurance , I sent you a PM on your GT before seeing this , might add the info for others in a while.

After a week of tests I fancy a G and T tonight, pretty sure that must be therapeutic for an inflamed tongue , practically a herbal remedy I'm sure!😋😁

Try one too !

Have a relaxing weekend now you know what your tongue is doing. Hugs , Bee xx

[Sandradsn in reply to joat]

I live in west Sussex too,what excellent service! I saw quite a few geographic tongues working as a dental nurse.It will eventually clear up on it's own.

[Hidden]

Hadn't heard of it but the picture I saw online was quite pretty 😁 I know some people would be trying to get patterns tattooed like that if they could. I think the NHS is wonderful in such cases if frustrating in others. I thank my lucky stars it exists. In the past 3 weeks I have had hospital ECG, gp 24 hrs ECG (all good), 3 appts at dental hospital and gp appt and have rheumy nurse appt next week. A full time job but what would happen to me without those opportunities??

I didn't look at the treatment protocols (if any) but I hope you feel ok. 🌻

[joat in reply to Hidden]

Gosh you must be worn out.

Consultant said no need to worry, apparently nothing to be done as they don`t know what causes it.

[Hidden in reply to joat]

It is an interesting one that I have never heard of!

[Mary63]

If you do have discomfort from geographic tongue ( and not everyone does) I have found changing to a peppermint and fluoride free toothpaste ...eg Kingfisher fennel....has helped some of my patients.

[joat in reply to Mary63]

It has been and is painful at times.

[Hidden in reply to Mary63]

I have dry mouth and have to avoid Sodium Lauryl Sulfate in toothpaste. I use sensodyne these days. The paste is a bit looser that normal I toothpaste and does foam as much but seems s to have improved the dry mouth I do like the fennel toothpaste taste wise but my teeth are so sensitive! I can't use any Colgate products ...they make my mouth very sore. The three dental appts have made me obsessed this week. I had six impressions done yesterday by the student hygenist who is in his first year. I don't mind them practising on me as I don't seem to have a gag reflex. But My mouth and jaw are a bit sore today😁😂

[Rosbud in reply to Hidden]

I also have dry mouth especially at night and first thing in the morning, feel as is my tongue is stuck to the roof of my mouth when I wake up and talking is difficult until I've had A drink of some sort , developed very sore patches in mouth and GP prescribed soluble pred and this has or seems to have cured the soreness but has done nothing for the dryness , coincidentally I have found the only toothpaste Ican use is , I do hope you find A solution soon X

[Hidden in reply to Rosbud]

Thanks. The toothpaste change has really stopped the night time turtle mouth. It's a combination of painkillers diabetes and all the other meds that have it as a side effect.

[Blearyeyed in reply to Mary63]

Yes I use Kingfisher toothpaste it is good. There are different flavours to choose from. You can get it online , from pharmacies or at Holland and Barrett .

[SheffieldJane]

You must have had an awful fright! Thank goodness it wasn’t anything worse. I am so glad you felt supported by your doctors!!! 💜

[GinnyMa]

Hi joat,

Years ago I had geographic tongue and it lasted for about 4 years. I went on a gluten free diet and it disappeared within a week. Perhaps a coincidence, but who knows. It It has been 12 years and has not come back. It is a benign condition I was told, but it was distressing.

[PMRdaughter]

I’m a dental hygienist, so I do see this from time to time. Oral Candidiasis (thrush) can occur due to: diabetes, steroids, antibiotic use, other meds, immunocompromised persons, etc. You say you’ve had oral cancer, so likely you don’t have adequate saliva flow from your treatments, which will increase your risk of thrush. My advice: remove refined sugars from your diet, alcohol, breads, fruit (except for berries), fruit juices. SUGAR FEEDS CANDIDA. Daily swishing and gargling with salt/water (1/2 tsp salt to cup of warm water, mix well). Drink lots of water.

[joat in reply to PMRdaughter]

Thanks. Have reduced sugars and am rinsing with salt water several times a day. Has got slightly better already.

[sennetta in reply to joat]

You could also try swishing out your mouth with coconut oil - about a level dessert spoon. Slosh it around in your mouth for about 10 minutes and eject. Coconut oil is anti inflammatory and very soothing.

[artfingers]

Yes I was diagnosed with it. It looks like the picture you can google when it is flaring up. Does sometimes look like a map with areas "eaten" away (protective coating temporarily gone). It comes and goes and if I eat a lot of acidic food when it is acting up, it hurts a bit. I was told not to worry about it by my gp. Not sure what causes it to flare up but I just live with it. It is kind of interesting to look at and did freak me out when I first got it.

[Xanthe12345]

My daughter was prone to geographic tongue when she had tonsillitis....which she suffered with till she was eighteen and had her wisdom teeth out! Ironically she has had neither since!