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Transient lingual papillitis or TLP is a condition which affects 50 percent of Americans, but they may not even realize it.
It may not exactly be a household name, but the condition transient lingual papillitis affects an estimated 50 percent of the population at any given time. What is transient lingual papillitis? It’s those red bumps you get on your tongue that affect your tastebuds. Often people get them after burning their mouths on hot foods or liquids, or they can be caused by other factors such as a high fever or systemic issues, poor oral hygiene, stress, smoking, alcohol use, drug abuse, hormonal changes, and much more. Though anyone can develop TLP, it is more common among women than it is among men.
Thankfully, they tend to go away on their own within a few days but sometimes they require a trip to Dr. Abelar, so if you get them, keep an eye on them and if they do not go away within two to three days, contact the office.
There are several kinds of transient lingual papillitis. They are:
Classic / Localized
Classic or localized TLP usually occur on the tip of the tongue and resemble pimples. These generally go away in one to two days and can be uncomfortable. They can also come back, so carefully monitor your tongue if you get one.
U-Shaped
U shaped TPL do not cause bumps, rather they cause the tongue to swell and pink patches to appear.
Papulokeratonic TLP
Papulokeratonic TLP appears as yellow and white bumps all over the tongue. This type of TLP is painless, but it can often be recurring.
Eruptive Lingual Papillitis
Eruptive Lingual Papillitis usually occurs in children who have had a high fever and swollen lymph nodes. These bumps can make eating and drinking difficult and painful.
How To Prevent TLP
Unfortunately, some types of TLP can’t be completely prevented, or prevented at all. However the good news is that small actions like waiting for food to cool before eating or drinking and brushing and flossing twice a day are both helpful in reducing your TLP risk.
If you have a persistent case of TLP or need to schedule your oral exam, please contact Dentist in San Deigo, Dr. Abelar’s office today.
