What causes geographic tongue? my dentist told me i have geographic tongue, but said it was not a big deal. is this caused by me not taking care of my oral health? should i be brushing my tongue?

Genetics: Nothing to worry about. It is always good to brush your tongue.

Several questions...: Some people have geographic tongue. We don't know exactly what causes it, but it may be related to vitamins or diet. Like a birthmark you shouldn't worry about it, your significant other won't catch it, and good hygiene won't make it go away. Unless it hurts, no treatment is needed: chock it up as character. Yes, you should brush your tongue gently; get a tongue brush & talk 2 your hygienist.

Don't worry: Geographic tongue is an innate characteristic of some people. It has no impact on your oral health. You may notice the patches changing shape form time to time, again no worries. Brushing your tongue is a good idea, particularly for halitosis reasons.

It's harmless: Geographic tongue affects about 2% of the us population. It is a harmless alteration of the cells on the surface of the tongue. It's cause is unknown, but it can run in families so it probably has a genetic component. Geographic tongue is not a result of poor oral hygiene. Brushing the tongue is an important part of oral hygiene especially to prevent halitosis.

Harmless: 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 areas. The cause is unknown & nothing to do with what you did or didn't do. Using a tongue scraper daily is a good idea anyway.

Congenital: Geographic tongue is something you are born with. It is a benign condition , not serious.It comes and goes and varies is severity. Eating some food may cause a burning sensation, especially vinegar based salad dressings. The incidence and severity seem to decrease with age. It is worse looking than problematic. If you brush your tongue, make sure the brush is super soft!

See below: Geographic tongue is usually seen with digestive problems..It is not a big deal but since you mention your oral health is not the best i suspect you should also go over your diet and maybe make some changes such as eating more fruits and vegies and take supplements.

Genetics: Somewhere back in your genealogy one of your ancestors also had geographic tongue. You most likely will pass it onto someone else. Brushing your tongue is a good idea to help prevent the buildup of bacterial colonies that cause bad breath--but it won't cause your geographic tongue to go away.