Geographic tongue in women
Geographic tongue is a condition characterized by irregular red spots on the surface of the organ and can sometimes vary in shade or appearance. It is a benign disorder that affects people all over the world. However, studies of this oral abnormality have shown that women are affected by it to a much greater degree than men. In fact, more than half of the cases diagnosed in the United States each year are in women. While this could be a clue to discovering the true underlying causes behind it, the question of why women are more prone remains. Many doctors believe that a woman’s hormones play a very important role in the development of geographic tongue, and the recurrence of symptoms is directly related to the hormonal surges a woman experiences at different times in her life. Women who have already been diagnosed with this condition are more likely to have symptoms again during pregnancy or during bodily changes that occur later in life when they are no longer able to have children.
Doctors have linked female hormones to geographic tongue due to cases in pregnant and menopausal women. However, the onset of puberty does not appear to be a factor, and most girls who have been diagnosed with this condition are infants or young children. That’s what makes this condition so puzzling; if hormones are to blame, why doesn’t it occur with all hormonal conditions? Although more cases have been reported during pregnancy, where body changes are significant, there appears to be little relationship between geographic tongue and the menstrual cycle. It is not completely absent during this time, but fewer cases have been reported.
This may suggest that certain pregnancy hormones may trigger it, a case that becomes even stronger when the condition often clears up after delivery. However, if pregnancy hormones are a major contributor to geographic tongue, they are certainly not the only cause. Women nearing the end of their childbearing years have also reported moderate to severe cases, both new and recurrent. While the hormones triggered by both pregnancy and the change of life in women are different, the link between the two is the body’s ability to reproduce. Women who think they might have it or who are experiencing an increase in symptoms should see their doctor for a diagnosis and advice on how to manage it.