<Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> This article contains weasel words: vague phrasing that often accompanies biased or unverifiable information . Such statements should be clarified or removed . (January 2014) </Td> </Tr> <P> Transient lingual papillitis (also termed fungiform papillary glossitis, eruptive lingual papillitis, or colloquially, lie bumps), are painful, hypertrophic, red and white papillae on the tongue . </P> <P> The name "lie bumps" is a result of a myth that telling lies would cause them . However, very little has been written about this condition in scientific articles or textbooks and scientific studies have failed to produce a definite cause . Possible causes include: "stress, gastrointestinal upset, menstruation, acidic or sour food, smoking, and local trauma" (direct physical irritation) of the tongue . Lie bumps are often caused by the taste bud (s) splitting . </P> <P> These bumps are small, white bumps on the base of the tongue . They are likely to be the result of transient lingual papillitis (TLP). This condition is limited to the upper (dorsal) surface of the tongue, affecting some of the tiny bumps on the tongue known as the fungiform papillae, what we commonly call the "taste buds ." </P>

Is there a such thing as a lie bump on your tongue