Comedian Kate McKinnon, who is best known for wagging her tongue and making us cackle while starring on Saturday Night Live, just opened up about a benign medical condition that affects that important muscle.The SNL alum told People that she recently discovered she has geographic tongue."I took a photo of my tongue and sent it to an actor friend of mine," she told the magazine. "We both have the same medical condition. Its called geographic tongue. Your tongue sheds in patches and looks like an atlas, hence the name 'geographic tongue."The condition isnt life-threatening, but the 41-year-old Ghostbusters actress isnt a fan of the aesthetics. Its gross, she said.Despite that, shes not ashamed either. We brag about how geographic we are on any given day," McKinnon said. "Maybe I shouldn't be saying this in a magazine.If youve never heard of geographic tongue before, you arent alone. So we reached out to New York-based cosmetic dentist Dr. Sandip Sachar to explain what it is, how its treated, and whether LGBTQ+ people are more at risk.What is geographic tongue? Is it common?While geographic tongue, also known as benign migratory glossitis, isnt dangerous for your health, it does change the way your tongue looks, which can be distressing to people before they know what it is. It is a harmless inflammatory condition that causes smooth, red patches that appear on the surface of the tongue, Dr. Sachar tells PRIDE. They are often surrounded by slightly raised white or yellow borders. It gets its name since the patches shift in size, shape, and location as time goes on, which almost looks like a map.Most people probably have never heard of geographic tongue, but its actually fairly common, according to Dr. Sachar. The condition is seen in 1 to 3% of the general population, although many people go through life not realizing they have it until a dentist or doctor points it out to them, which means the number is probably much higher.What are its symptoms? How does it manifest?Geographic tongue is usually asymptomatic meaning people with the condition have no symptoms but some people will experience discomfort or increased sensitivity to spicy, salty, or acidic foods, Dr. Sachar explains.The condition impacts the top and sides of the tongue and occasionally can occur in other areas of the mouth as well and looks like irregular, red, flat patches with white borders that come and go, or shift locations over days or weeks, she says.Is it contagious? Can it be contracted? How does one get geographic tongue?Luckily, geographic tongue isnt contagious and you cant get it from kissing, sharing silverware, or drinking from the same glass.It is not due to an infection, Dr. Sachar assures. It is an inflammatory response of unknown origin, possibly linked to immune system sensitivity, nutritional deficiency, stress, or hormonal factors.Many people with the condition are alarmed when they are first diagnosed because they fear that the changes in the the appearance of their tongue is a sign of cancer or infection, but geographic tongue is completely benign and does not increase the risk of oral cancer, she says.What are the treatments?There is no cure for geographic tongue, but since there are usually no symptoms and it is a benign condition, a cure isnt really necessary. However, there are some treatments for the small percentage of patients who have pain. For patients who experience burning or irritation, I often recommend avoiding foods that irritate it, and using topical anesthetic gels or antihistamine mouth rinses, Dr. Sachar says. Occasionally, steroid rinses or vitamin supplementation may be helpful, but most cases resolve on their own without intervention.How long does it last? Does it recur?Geographic tongue is chronic condition that can go away on its own and then recur throughout someones lifetime. Lesions may disappear for weeks or months and then return, sometimes in different areas of the tongue, Dr. Sachar explains. While it can be persistent, it remains benign and does not transition or progress into cancer."Are LGBTQ+ people at any greater risk?While there is no evidence that LGBTQ+ folks are more likely to be diagnosed with geographic tongue, the stress queer people face and a compromised immune system from being HIV-positive could both contribute to the condition.Factors like chronic stress, hormonal fluctuations, and autoimmune disorders, which may be more prevalent or undiagnosed in certain LGBTQ+ populations have been linked to geographic tongue, Dr. Sachar says. Additionally, some HIV-positive patients have presented with geographic tongue, though this is a broader immune related association rather than a direct correlation with sexual orientation or with gender identity.Source cited:Dr. Sandip Sachar, a New York-based cosmetic dentist and the founder and owner of Sachar Dental NYC.