TRANSIENT LINGUAL PAPILLITIS—CASE REPORT

Abstract

The transient lingual papillitis (TLP) initially reported in 1996 by Whitaker et al. is an inflammatory enlargement of fungiform papillae characterized by an abrupt onset with 2- to 3-mm masses developing over 1 hour, accompanied by moderate to severe pain, with or without pus. We present a case of TLP in an 8-year-old boy whose major complain was an acute burning sensation on the tongue that initiated almost immediately after contact after he ate a cucumber, accompanied by a severe salty taste perception. We observed multiple erythematous papules all over the dorsum of the tongue. Even without any therapeutic measure, his mother reported that 12 hours later, almost all the signs and symptoms had disappeared; TLP it is very common, and, although it presents a benign pattern of evolution, it is poorly known by doctors, who should be aware of this condition to diagnose and guide the patients properly. The transient lingual papillitis (TLP) initially reported in 1996 by Whitaker et al. is an inflammatory enlargement of fungiform papillae characterized by an abrupt onset with 2- to 3-mm masses developing over 1 hour, accompanied by moderate to severe pain, with or without pus. We present a case of TLP in an 8-year-old boy whose major complain was an acute burning sensation on the tongue that initiated almost immediately after contact after he ate a cucumber, accompanied by a severe salty taste perception. We observed multiple erythematous papules all over the dorsum of the tongue. Even without any therapeutic measure, his mother reported that 12 hours later, almost all the signs and symptoms had disappeared; TLP it is very common, and, although it presents a benign pattern of evolution, it is poorly known by doctors, who should be aware of this condition to diagnose and guide the patients properly.