Lie bumps, also known as transient lingual papillitis, are small inflammatory bumps that occur on the tongue. These small bumps can be bothersome, but do not indicate other serious diseases. There are usually self-limiting and will resolve over time. They can become a mild annoyance to many people, and it is important to know how to treat and prevent these bumps so that a person can minimize the side effects of the inflammation.
The bumps that occur in transient lingual papillitis have many different names. One old wife’s tale is that they are the result of a person lying. This rumor is untrue but has stuck and now many people calls it tongue bumps, lie-bumps’ or other names. Some people believe that the tongue bumps can also cause lip bumps, but this tends to be a different disease. Lip bumps have more in common with acne and skin inflammatory processes than they do with problems with the tongue.

The name transient lingual papillitis is important to decipher. The first word, transient, indicates that the problem is short lived. The bumps do not stay around and tend to resolve on their own with little or no help from any medical procedures. This is why most people simple need reassurance that the bumps are normal and that nothing should really be done to manage the condition. Lingual refers to the tongue, which is the location of the bumps. Lip problems would be called ‘labial,’ which as discussed, is a completely different problem.

The last part of the name transient lingual papillitis is the type of cells or structure that is affected. In this case, it is the lingual papilla, or tongue taste buds, that become inflamed. This can occur for any number of reasons. The taste buds have small pores that allow special cells to ‘taste’ food with chemical receptors. The pores of the buds can be clogged and cause symptoms such as pain and redness in the tongue. Sometimes the bumps can even become slightly white with a small amount of exudate. This material is not contagious nor excessive treatment is needed.

The bumps are thought to be caused by excessive scrubbing or rubbing in the mouth. This can be done with a tooth brush or other implements. Sometimes hot liquids or other materials that can burn or irritate the inside of the mouth may lead to the inflammatory process and cause the bumps. By minimizing the trauma to the mouth and limiting the scrubbing of the tongue, the taste bud inflammation can be limited and prevention of the discomfort and papillitis can occur. With these important ideas in mind, lie bumps can be effectively managed to prevent their occurrence and allow the current symptoms to resolve.