Causes, Effects, and Signs of Fissured Tongue

4. Geographic Tongue

Many people who have fissured tongues also develop geographic tongue, an inflammatory condition that affects the top of the tongue. On a normal tongue, small, hair-like bumps called papillae cover the surface. A person with geographic tongue has sections of smooth, red areas because they lack papillae. While often harmless, geographic tongue can sometimes cause sensitivities to spices, salt, or even some sweets. It is unclear how fissured tongue and geographic tongue are related.