When examined at a medical center, the patient is often asked to show his tongue as an indicator of health. By its appearance, a doctor of the highest category will be able to tell which organ system requires a detailed examination. Normally, the tongue is pink-red with a uniform surface and sometimes turns an unusual color - black, which can scare anyone. But today we will talk about whether such changes are always a sign of pathology, and also dwell on the causes of a rare symptom, methods of elimination, and prevention.
Should I worry?
When conducting an initial diagnosis, the doctor will pay attention to the thickness of the plaque, color intensity and other features. The most important sign of a specific pathology is the localization of layers on different parts of the tongue:
- Damage to the tip
indicates problems with the heart and blood vessels. - Coloration going deep into the organ
indicates breathing pathologies. - Spots on the central part
towards the root indicate diseases of the digestive canal. - On the sides
- about dysfunction of the spleen and liver.
The coating also varies in consistency. It can be greasy, curdled, wet or dry. In terms of area of distribution, it sometimes looks like clear spots, small inclusions, or completely covers the tongue. It is also important how the plaque is removed:
- Painless, but difficult.
- In the form of film.
- It is difficult and accompanied by severe pain.
Black deposits also appear against the background of other symptoms, such as:
- Nausea, vomiting.
- Thirst.
- Bad breath.
- Pain in different parts of the body.
- Fever.
- Yellowness, pallor or bluishness of the skin.
- Losing weight.
- Diarrhea or constipation.
- Heartburn, belching.
Such symptoms are only part of the overall picture. It will differ for a particular patient with a certain pathology. A black coating on the tongue can be a temporary phenomenon, caused by the influence of food pigments, both chemical and natural. There are many of the latter in blueberries, black currants, and mulberries. In such cases, there is definitely no reason to worry.
A similar situation develops after taking liquid iron-containing drugs or activated carbon. Slight darkening of the surface of the tongue occurs in those who like sweets with dark dyes, coffee or tea. It is not difficult to eliminate such plaque; just rinse your mouth several times or exclude the corresponding foods from your diet. It’s another matter when the nature of the symptom is related to the source of the pathological property.
Shades of dark color
The color of the tongue can really tell the doctor a lot about the condition of the patient's body. Dark masses on a muscular organ with various ailments have a certain shade.
- A signal about diseases of the digestive system, immunodeficiency, and hormonal imbalances is given by the dark green color of the tongue.
- Dark brown deposits occur with fungal infections, food poisoning, pulmonary diseases, as well as with hemolysis and adrenal insufficiency.
- Dark red deposits appear with scarlet fever, kidney infection, and advanced glossitis.
- With serious damage to the stomach and intestines, the plaque becomes dark gray.
- A black tint suggests cholera.
In addition, Crohn's disease is indicated by black spots on the receptor organ. Black deposits with an acetone odor indicate severe dehydration. Dark substrate and inclusions on the crowns indicate a chromogenic fungal disease. Any therapeutic program, as a rule, includes hygienic cleaning of the oral cavity. In our center it is performed by highly qualified hygienists.
Causes of black plaque
Factors that cause plaque in adults are associated with the following conditions:
- Acute tonsillitis (tonsillitis) and other infectious diseases.
- Long-term use of antibacterial agents, as a result of which the immune system weakens and dysbacteriosis develops.
- Slagging of the body.
- Excess weight.
- Violation of metabolic processes.
- Abuse of fatty foods and high-carbohydrate foods.
Crohn's disease is a rare autoimmune pathology. The melanin pigment is concentrated in the form of dark blue spots on the skin, tongue papillae and other mucous tissues. The condition occurs when the basic function of the adrenal glands is suppressed, and the organs of the digestive canal become inflamed. Treatment is carried out using hormonal and antibacterial agents, as well as immunosuppressants. The color of the tongue is restored as you recover. The plaque cannot be washed off by any other means.
Measures to be taken
Photo 2: If the color of the tumors does not lighten within several days, then it is necessary to urgently visit a doctor to rule out pathologies such as tongue cancer, glossitis and other diseases.
Source: flickr (Olalla Esquimal). To get rid of stains, it is necessary to determine the root cause of their appearance and eliminate it . A number of diseases accompanied by this symptom can be easily cured with the help of medications and vitamin complexes. Along with medications taken orally, treatment of the organ surface . This procedure is carried out using the following means:
- decoctions of sage and chamomile;
- Imudon or Lysobact tablets;
- solutions of miramistin or chlorhexidine;
- treatment in a hospital with liquid nitrogen.
If fungal infection occurs , bifidobacteria and lactobacilli and probiotics are prescribed to normalize the microflora, as well as antifungal drugs such as nystatin, livarol, fluconazole or diflucan.
How to treat black tongue
Complete elimination of a symptom depends on the source of its occurrence. This is what therapy is aimed at, including various methods, such as:
- Compliance with a special diet if the cause of plaque is gastrointestinal pathology.
- Medicines to combat inflammation, pathogenic bacteria and associated symptoms.
- Physiotherapy.
- Folk remedies.
- Surgical intervention in difficult situations when other treatment methods have proven ineffective.
Effective formulations include tinctures and decoctions for rinsing the mouth. They are based on the following medicinal plants;
- Linden;
- oregano;
- yarrow;
- chamomile;
- plantain;
- oak bark;
- mint;
- sage;
- strawberries;
- flax seeds.
Oral fibroma
Fibroma is a benign tumor that has the shape of a polyp or dome, that is, it is a formation that resembles a hard, smooth round lump, which with its base or stem is attached to the tissues of the oral cavity. They look like moles and freckles and may have a dark color. Fibroma can occur for various reasons, for example, due to irritation caused by exposure to dental devices, piercings, and teeth.
Therapy for such a tumor can only be surgical; however, surgery does not guarantee that the tumor will not reappear in the same place. Treatment should not be neglected, since fibroids can multiply and grow. In addition, you should avoid damaging the tongue, particularly in the area where the fibroid was previously located. Trauma can trigger its growth again.
Child's black tongue
If you exclude markers, paints, and food, then most often the problem with a dark tongue in a child is associated with candidiasis (thrush). The reason is simple - the baby began to be fed ahead of schedule. A black tongue in an older child may be a sign of pathologies of the gallbladder, colitis, gastritis, and enteritis. A gray coloration on the tongue appears in a child if he is treated with iron-containing compounds.
It is difficult for parents to independently understand the etiology of the problem. Only passing the necessary tests and diagnostics will help the doctor find and eliminate the cause of the symptom. At the initial stage, this specialist becomes a pediatrician, then a dentist or an infectious disease specialist joins, depending on the diagnosis.
Dangerous symptoms and which doctor to contact
When black spots on a person’s tongue do not go away within two to three days, increase in size, new spots appear, and the temperature rises, you should go to the doctor.
The first thing you need to do is visit the dentist. If this nature of the problem is excluded, then the doctor will refer the sick person to the therapist’s office. You may need help from a specialist in gastroenterology or oncology.
The main method of diagnosing the disease is bacteriological culture of plaque to determine the type of pathogenic microflora in the mouth, donating blood for analysis. If there is a suspicion of problems with the gastrointestinal tract, a coprogram and ultrasound examination of the organs will be used.
Prevention
Dark spots on the tongue will never bother you if you follow the following rules and recommendations:
- Minimize the consumption of spicy, fatty, carbonated water, coffee.
- Maintain good oral hygiene. In addition to teeth, clean the inside of your cheeks, gums, and tongue. Teach children to this. Use plant extracts for rinsing. Don't skimp on toothpaste.
- Get rid of bad habits: smoking and alcohol abuse.
- When treating with antibacterial compounds, strictly follow medical recommendations.
- Expand the amount of physical activity in accordance with age and health status.
- Add bran, fruits, and vegetables to the menu. Nutritious smoothies are beneficial. Instead of black tea, drink mint, strawberry, linden or other herbal tea.
- If you are prone to sore throat, try not to injure the mucous membrane of the throat, for which purpose eat dishes in the form of puree. Inhalation is carried out using sea buckthorn or fir oil.
- If a child’s tongue turns black, consult a pediatrician to find out what new food triggered such a symptom, so that you can then help the child adapt painlessly. Treatment methods for children do not differ from those for adults. Great care and smaller dosages will be required, as determined by your doctor.
- Baby food should be natural and consist of fresh products. On the recommendation and under the supervision of a pediatrician, vitamin and mineral complexes can be given to the child to strengthen the immune system.
Do not practice self-medication, which rarely ends well. If the condition worsens, immediately contact a doctor. Regularly visit an ENT doctor, dentist and other specialists for preventive purposes. Bitter salt for cleansing the intestines, you can find out at the link.
Diagnostics
To determine what disease led to the appearance of unpleasant symptoms, an examination is necessary. Diagnosis may include:
- General and biochemical blood test;
- Stool and urine analysis;
- Fluorography and ultrasound;
- Gastroscopy;
- Bacterial culture from the tongue;
- Coprogram;
If a dark coating appears on the tongue, adults should first consult a therapist, and young patients should be shown to a pediatrician. After examination, history taking, palpation of the abdomen and other manipulations, the patient is referred to a specific specialist. Most often, a consultation with a gastroenterologist and an infectious disease specialist is needed. Also, the patient can be referred to an endocrinologist, otolaryngologist, pulmonologist, or toxicologist. The dentist is very helpful.
Tongue piercing
In some cases, pigmentation disappears in the tongue piercing area, leaving only dark-colored spots. They can occur not only due to bleeding that occurs during the puncture, but due to the presence of jewelry in the oral cavity.
If an infection occurs during the piercing, it should be treated in a timely manner. In addition, it is important to perform all necessary postoperative manipulations and use only gold or titanium jewelry, as they are the least allergenic.
What is the danger of developing growths on the tongue?
Often a person does not even suspect that HPV is present in his body, which manifests itself in the form of papillomas. If the growth is localized on the inside of the tongue, closer to the palate, then the patient may not notice the growth. And then the doctor accidentally finds the papilloma during an examination of the patient’s oral cavity.
Papillomas that are located on the tip of the tongue are less common, but they are always noticeable. Such growths interfere with talking and eating, so people with such growths most often seek help from a medical facility.
What else can you expect from a growth on the tongue, besides discomfort:
- Papilloma is a benign neoplasm that in itself does not pose a threat to human health. But in 1.2% of cases, malignancy of such processes occurs, i.e. The tumor goes from benign to malignant.
- The oral cavity is an extremely undesirable place for papillomas to be found. If in other parts of the body growths can “live” quietly, and the doctor will not recommend removing a tumor that does not pose a threat, then papillomas on the tongue are often injured. This can lead to inflammation.
Allergic manifestations and the result of exposure to certain medications
Certain chemicals, such as bismuth, can cause stains in the mouth. In addition, some medications that are allergens can cause tongue spotting.
To solve this problem, it is important to prevent contact with the allergen, take antihistamines, and continue therapy if the spots do not disappear.
