Celiac Disease and Geographic Tongue – The Connection

Celiac disease can present a wide range of symptoms affecting the whole body. Because celiac disease is an immune disorder, it can cause many inflammatory issues, gastrointestinal symptoms, and nutritional deficiencies. 

One common yet not easily recognized symptom of celiac disease is a condition called geographic tongue. Oral, dental, and tongue problems can indicate that all is not well in the body. 

What is Geographic Tongue?

Geographic tongue is a condition where the tongue appears to have smooth patches. These patches often appear a bright pink or red color. It is not contagious but can look alarming to people who haven’t seen it before. It is commonly seen in people with celiac disease. 

Although not a dangerous condition by itself, geographic tongue tells us that a problem within the body needs addressing. 

What Causes Geographic Tongue?

It’s not yet discovered the cause of geographic tongue. 

Geographic tongue is an inflammatory condition also called migratory glossitis. The tongue is covered in small bumps called papillae. We often don’t notice them until we see changes or sustain an injury to the tongue. 

When inflammation or nutrient deficiency occurs in the body, these bumps flatten. This leaves smooth patches on the tongue that can be small, or spread into a series of patches resembling a map, hence the name geographic tongue. 

It is common in people with celiac disease, nutrient deficiencies, diabetes, immune disorders, and people suffering emotional stress.

Many people with geographic tongue and other oral problems are often silently suffering from celiac disease. Celiac disease and gluten sensitivity cause both inflammation in the body and nutrient deficiencies that are often undetected.

Nutrient deficiencies in celiac disease come from the malabsorption of vitamins and minerals in the small intestine. When we think of celiac disease or gluten sensitivity, we often imagine people suffering from stomach and intestinal problems. Surprisingly, people with celiac disease may notice non-gastrointestinal symptoms as the first signs of the disease.

If you have symptoms of geographic tongue, it indicates that the body is under some stress. 

How are gluten, celiac disease, and oral health connected?

Celiac disease is also associated with poor dental health. We need nutrients for the development and health of every part of our bodies. This includes our teeth. People with celiac disease, particularly undiagnosed, often have a high incidence of dental problems and weak tooth enamel. 

Many have been undiagnosed for years and didn’t realize many of these seemingly random issues were related. 

How is Geographic Tongue Treated?

To treat geographic tongue, we need to treat the underlying cause. If it is causing pain, in the short term, some over-the-counter pain relievers or anesthetic mouthwashes can help with some immediate relief. 

When the cause of deficiency or inflammation is addressed, the geographic tongue can often clear up quickly. 

When caused by nutritional deficiencies due to celiac disease, a gluten-free diet and increased nutrition through food or supplements can keep the geographic tongue at bay. 

For people living with celiac disease on a gluten-free diet, geographic tongue can be a signal that your body isn’t quite getting enough iron, B vitamins, or zinc. 

It can also indicate that you may have accidentally ingested gluten in the past few weeks, and your body is still recovering from the interruption in absorption. 

Early Signs of Celiac Disease: Mouth Sores, Burning Tongue, and More

Sometimes the signs of nutrient deficiency and inflammation from celiac disease are noticed before gastrointestinal symptoms. 

Noticing changes, pain, and discomfort in the mouth can often signal that the body isn’t getting the nutrients it needs. 

Mouth Sores

People with celiac disease often suffer from regular aphthous ulcers, also called canker sores. Canker sores can be extremely painful. They can make eating and drinking difficult, especially when there is more than one. 

They appear on the soft tissue of your mouth or the gums close to the teeth, so brushing your teeth can be very painful. 

Sometimes people who get frequent canker sores don’t realize that painful ulcers aren’t simply a normal part of life. They are so used to suffering with them. 

Burning Tongue

Burning tongue, otherwise known as burning mouth syndrome, is an unpleasant burning sensation in your tongue or mouth. 

People sometimes suffer from this sensation daily, where it comes and goes throughout the day. Others feel the symptom for short bursts at seemingly random times. 

Celiac disease causes deficiencies in iron and B12 which are known to cause a burning tongue. Supplementing vitamins can help to reduce this unpleasant and strange feeling symptom. 

Mouth Lining Inflammation

The lining of our mouth is both delicate and hardy at the same time. Delicate in that the skin is very thin. It’s prone to injury or symptoms of inflammation. It’s also fast at healing in the right conditions, and problems can often be rectified quickly. 

The lining of the mouth can often show us a lot about our general health. People with celiac disease, particularly untreated, are prone to oral problems and have a higher risk of cancer development in the area.

Oral Cancers

People with celiac disease who do not adhere to a gluten-free diet or who have only reduced their gluten intake have been shown to have a higher risk of oral cancer than the general population. 

Those with celiac disease who have followed a gluten-free diet for at least five years reduce their risk. The risk of oral cancers in these patients is no higher than for the rest of the population. 

Results like these show how important it is to know whether or not you have celiac disease. The effects of celiac disease can have long-term risks and implications for your whole body’s health. 

Gluten and Mouth Symptoms in Children

As children develop untreated celiac disease or gluten sensitivity, they often begin to show signs of deficiency. Spotting these symptoms early can help to minimize any damage and growth problems they might face.

The mouth is a common place to spot these creeping deficiencies. In addition to the potential ulcers, sores, and tongue problems, they may develop a dry mouth that you wouldn’t expect to see at such a young age. 

Celiac disease also affects dental health. If your child’s teeth are a lot more prone to cavities than their peers, they may not be absorbing enough vitamin D and calcium to support healthy teeth. 

Can Gluten Sensitivity Affect Your Mouth?

Gluten sensitivity creates inflammation that can affect your mouth. Recurrent sores, pain, tongue changes, and unexplained poor dental health should always be investigated as a health issue. 

We often fall into the trap of thinking our oral health is separate from the rest of our health issues, as we tend to associate it with teeth and dentists. 

We must remember that our body is a whole and needs to be treated as such. 

What To Do If You Have a Geographic Tongue

If you are seeing symptoms of geographic tongue but never considered the health implications it is time to investigate. 

Get tested for celiac disease

It’s important to be tested if you suspect you could be suffering from celiac disease. If you have symptoms of inflammation or nutrient deficiency, you need to find out if celiac disease could be causing it.

Your doctor can order tests that look for active celiac disease and check the levels of vital vitamins and minerals. 

If you are curious about your potential risk factor for celiac disease, CeliacDx allows you to find out from the comfort of your own home. 

Using a celiac disease home test to assess your genetic risk for celiac disease, you can even see your chances of passing on these genes to your children. 

Give yourself a nutrition boost

Increasing the nutrients you take into your body can help to increase the vitamins and minerals your body absorbs. 

Supplements can provide you with extra nutrients. Vitamins like B vitamins that can be taken in a sublingual form are particularly good for boosting vitamin levels. By absorbing vitamins under the tongue, it bypasses the small intestine, which may not be fully functioning with celiac disease.

Many people with celiac disease on a gluten-free diet still require supplementation of vitamins by supplements or through the diet due to absorption issues. 

Eliminate gluten for a while

Eliminating gluten for a while can help you to test whether some of your symptoms improve without it. While you can later opt for specific lab testing, taking gluten away from your diet can offer clues. 

If you have eliminated gluten from your diet, be sure to tell your Doctor while going through testing for celiac disease. Whether or not you are currently eating gluten can affect the testing process. 

To take a GlutenID genetic test from CeliacDx your diet can contain gluten or be gluten-free. 

Best Tests for Celiac Disease and Gluten Sensitivity

If you suspect you may have celiac disease, it’s important to investigate and see your doctor. Your doctor can order blood tests and an endoscopy, searching for evidence of active celiac disease. Blood tests can look for several indicators, such as antibodies to gluten. 

Endoscopy with biopsies can spot changes to the small intestine that are associated with celiac disease. 

Some people may have found that eliminating gluten helps their symptoms a lot. To be tested for celiac disease, you will probably be required to resume eating gluten, so the blood tests can capture how your body responds to it. 

CeliacDx offers home DNA testing for genetic markers associated with celiac disease. Testing for more markers than other genetic tests and breaking down your level of risk, your Gluten ID gives you valuable information about your risk and your potential sensitivity level to gluten. 

In summary

Celiac disease and gluten sensitivity can come with varied symptoms that are often missed. Your oral health can tell you a lot about your general health. 

If you suspect that your health may be suffering and you may have celiac disease, getting tested sooner rather than later can improve your health, and your risk of other complications in the future. you