Geographic stomatitis: An enigmatic condition with multiple clinical presentations

Abstract

Geographic stomatitis is an uncommon inflammatory condition of unknown etiology. It is characterized by reddish areas surrounded by white borders affecting any location in the oral cavity and presenting a migratory and cyclic pattern. The most common affected sites include buccal mucosa, labial mucosa and mucobuccal fold. Some patients can complain of pain or burning sensation. There are few reports in the literature about this entity and its relationship with other oral and cutaneous conditions such as fissured tongue, Reiter's syndrome, atopy and psoriasis has been suggested but it is still controversial. In the present study we describe three cases of geographic stomatitis associated with fissured tongue. Lesions involved the buccal mucosa, labial mucosa, soft palate and mucobuccal fold and all cases were diagnosed based on their clinical features. All patients were oriented about the innocuous behavior of the condition and were advised to avoid exposure of the lesions to irritation factors. The three presented cases highlighted the importance of a detailed oral mucosal examination by clinicians and provided further information about the natural history and clinical presentation of geographic stomatitis.