About how long does a person have geographic tongue for? i've been diagnosed with mildly irritating geographic tongue. my dentist gave me some mouth rinse but said that there isn't really anything else that he can do, and that it may go away on its own. i

The : The condition may resolve on its own, but is unpredictable, so no one can give you a definitive answer. See below link.

Typically : Typically geographic tongue will last about 10 days, though this can vary. The following information was taken from the mayo clinic web site and provides a good description of geographic tongue. Geographic tongue is a harmless condition affecting the surface of your tongue. The tongue is normally covered with tiny, pinkish-white bumps (papillae). With geographic tongue, patches on the surface of the tongue are missing papillae and appear as smooth, red "islands, " often with slightly raised borders. These patches (lesions) give the tongue a map-like, or geographic, appearance. The lesions often heal in one area and then move (migrate) to a different part of your tongue. Geographic tongue is also known as benign migratory glossitis. Although geographic tongue may look alarming, it doesn't cause health problems and isn't associated with infection or cancer. Geographic tongue can sometimes cause tongue discomfort and increased sensitivity to certain substances. Geographic tongue is a minor — although sometimes uncomfortable — condition. However, lesions on the tongue may indicate other more serious conditions of the tongue or diseases affecting the body in general. If you have lesions on the tongue that don't resolve within seven to 10 days, see your doctor or dentist. Studies of factors that may be associated with an increased risk of geographic tongue have produced mixed results. Likely factors factors that are likely associated with an increased risk — relatively well supported by research — include the following: family history. Inherited genetic factors may increase the risk of the disorder. Fissured tongue. People with geographic tongue often have another disorder called fissured tongue, the appearance of deep fissures, or grooves, on the surface of the tongue. Other possible factors some studies have suggested a number of other factors that may increase the risk of geographic tongue, but other studies haven't supported the same conclusions. These other possible factors include: oral contraceptive use diabetes allergies and other immune system hypersensitivities stress or psychological disorders other skin disorders.