Picture of Geographic Tongue

Geographic tongue gets its name because the patches that appear on your tongue with this condition look like a map. While you may have it in other areas of your mouth, it usually affects the top and sides of your tongue. The patches can change quickly and for that reason, it is sometimes referred to as benign migratory glossitis. While harmless, geographic tongue can come and go over days, weeks, or months. You might have patches for up to a year.