Occasionally, you might find tiny, white bumps forming on the top surface of your tongue. These bumps sometimes turn red, and can feel uncomfortable or tender to the touch. Long ago, some people believed that these were the result of telling lies, giving them the name “lie bumps”. Of course, this is an old wives’ tale. Today, we know the condition as transient lingual papillitis.
Nobody knows for sure why transient lingual papillitis happens. However, it is largely believed that they are caused by some form of trauma to the taste buds. You might experience them after scraping your tongue too hard or biting down on it. It is also possible that certain foods will react poorly with your buds after you ingest them.
The good news is that this is a fairly harmless condition. It may be slightly uncomfortable, but it will generally vanish after a few days. Further, it is impossible to spread it to your loved ones. However, if they persist for more than a few days, talk to your doctor.
