Transient lingual papillitis: a papulokeratotic variant.

Transient lingual papillitis is an inflammatory disease involving the fungiform papillae of the tongue and is typically localized, accompanied by pain or tenderness, and of short duration. The unusual clinical and pathologic findings regarding a condition we identify as a recurring papulokeratotic variant of transient lingual papillitis are described. In the child whose case we present, this condition was nonpainful and florid in distribution. The etiology, clinical features, and histopathology of this heretofore-undescribed variant are discussed and compared with the findings in previously reported cases of transient lingual papillitis.