Incidence of geographic tongue and median rhomboid glossitis in 3,319 Negro college students

Abstract

G eographic tongue (erythema migrans, wandering rash of the tongue, benign wandering glossitis) is a benign condition in which smooth, erythematous patches with discrete borders appear on the dorsum of the tongue. The remainder of the tongue frequently has a gray or pale yellow coating, accentuating the bald areas. Histologically, the process is usually superficial, consisting of desquamation of the keratin layers of the papillae and inflammation of the corium. In severe cases, the epithelium may ulcerate. The condition tends to be chronic or intermittent in nature, but in many cases it apparently regresses without recurrence.4 The form and configuration of the geographic pattern of the tongue may change definitely and visibly during the course of a 2-hour period of observation.5 Median rhomboid glossitis is a reddish area, roughly rhomboid in shape, located in the midline of the dorsum of the tongue just anterior to the circumvallate papillae. It is thought to result “from the failure of the lateral halves of the tongue to fuse before the tuberculum impar becomes interposed between them, just anterior to the circumvallate papillae.“2 The redness is due not to inflammation but to lack of papillae. Sometimes the anomaly is polypoid in character and is located further anteriorly. This congenital defect, often undiscovered until adulthood, has no clinical significance and should not be confused with carcinoma, which is extremely rare in this location.1 Several studies of the incidence of geographic tongue and median rhomboid glossitis have been made. In most instances, Negroes were not included in the sampling of patients. In samples in which Negroes were included, the number