I know geographic tongue is a chronic condition, but can it go away for long periods of time? or is it usually a permanent thing?

May come and go: Although geographic tongue is chronic, the answer is yes that it can go through periods where it is less apparent or not as pronounced. It varies from person to person but you may find that certain spices or foods increase in activity. Observe how your tongue architecture may change after meals o see if you notice a pattern. Good luck.

Travelling Tongue: Other names for this are benign migratory glossitis or the travelling tongue. It is a harmless condition of unknown causes. It is normally painless, but the tongue may be more sensitive to certain foods that come in contact. Sometimes the spots are absent. They also move around to other locations on the dorsal surface of the tongue.