Brown coating on the tongue
Brown plaque on the tongue is the formation of a substrate of varying thickness, stability and density on the mucous membrane of the organ, which has a brown tint. This plaque consists of dead epithelial cells, bacteria, microbes, the smallest pieces of food. Normally, in a healthy person, the tongue is rough on the upper side and has a pink color. The papillae, which are on its surface and are responsible for taste buds, have a grayish tint. Therefore, if a brown coating has formed on the tongue, then this indicates health problems.
Content:
- Causes of brown plaque on the tongue
- Symptoms of brown plaque on the tongue
- Treatment for brown plaque on the tongue
- Prevention of brown plaque on the tongue
Causes of brown plaque on the tongue
If a person turns to a doctor with a complaint about the appearance of a brown plaque, then first of all he will be checked for the presence of gastrointestinal diseases. This is due to the fact that in this way the reaction of the receptor apparatus to the presence of pathology of the stomach, gallbladder, pancreas and intestines is most often manifested. However, sometimes the gastroenterologist does not find gastrointestinal problems in the patient.
Therefore, among the reasons causing the appearance of brown plaque are the following:
- Corrosive or fibrous gastritis. The cause of corrosive gastritis is the ingress of acidic or alkaline solutions, as well as radioactive substances on the gastric mucosa, which causes irritation and inflammation of its membrane. Fibrous gastritis occurs after or during illness, in particular, with sepsis, typhoid, scarlet fever.
- Inflammation of the intestines, both large and small (enterocolitis).
- Crohn's disease.
- Stomach ulcer.
- Dysbacteriosis of any etiology.
- Reflux.
- Cholecystitis.
- Hepatitis.
- Dehydration of the body.
- Diarrhea.
- Biliary dyskinesia.
- Duodenitis.
- Progressive oral candidiasis. Brown plaque has a whitish tint and appears with advanced stages of the disease.
- Diseases of the pulmonary system.
- Diseases of the blood that are hereditary autoimmune in nature (hemolytic anemia, erythropoietic uroporphyria).
- Addison's disease. Requires treatment by an endocrinologist, as it is associated with chronic adrenal insufficiency.
- Hypovitaminosis, namely a lack of vitamin B3.
- Taking medications, such as antibiotics.
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Smoking, especially in large quantities. Plaque is formed as a result of the effect of phenols in cigarette smoke on the epithelium of the tongue.
- Inflammation of the joints.
- Alcoholism.
- Progressive stomatitis. In the initial stages, the plaque is white, however, if you ignore adequate therapy, the tongue will become covered with a brown film.
Symptoms of brown plaque on the tongue
The appearance of brown plaque on the tongue is a symptom of a particular disease. However, sometimes plaque can be easily brushed off with a toothbrush, appear once, or extremely rarely and only in the morning. In this case, you should not show serious concern, since the presence of a light brown plaque is a kind of norm and can only indicate that the person has consumed too spicy, salty or fried food or alcohol the day before. Plaque may appear after coffee or chocolate taken internally. If, after removing the plaque, it does not form again, then you should not worry about this.
Sometimes, after holding out for about a week, the raid passes on its own, and the person does not present any complaints. This indicates that the body independently coped with the inflammatory process. In this case, it is best to consult a doctor and identify the possible presence of problems with the gastrointestinal tract or other organs.
Plaque can have a different consistency. It can be lean, oily, wet or dry. Depending on this, you can determine the degree of progression of the disease. An additional sign of the severity of a particular pathology is the ease of separating plaque from the tongue. The more difficult it is to remove it, the further the disease has gone.
Treatment for brown plaque on the tongue
As such, there is no specific treatment for brown plaque on the tongue. Brown plaque is a symptom of a particular disease, eliminating which, it will be possible to get rid of the substrate on the receptor organ.
If candidiasis has led to the formation of plaque, then it is necessary to treat it with antifungal agents. Gastrointestinal problems are treated by a gastroenterologist, depending on their complexity, nature and stage of the disease.
In order to compensate for the deficiency of vitamin B3, it is necessary to eat liver, eggs, yolks, buckwheat, milk, beets, peanuts. In addition to changing the diet, it is worth taking complexes containing B vitamins, but only after consulting a doctor.
If, in addition to plaque, the person does not experience any accompanying symptoms, you can try to remove it with a toothbrush. To do this, it must have a special ribbed side. It is necessary to carry it from the root of the tongue to its tip, but not going deeply at the same time, otherwise you can cause a gag reflex. Do not press too hard to avoid damaging the organ.
Prevention of brown plaque on the tongue
There are general preventive measures to prevent the appearance of brown plaque and get rid of it, if it is not a consequence of the pathology of any organ or organ systems.
These include the following:
- Maintain immunity.
- To eat healthy food.
- Include fiber in your diet.
- Limit fried, salty, spicy foods and alcohol.
- Consume natural fermented milk products.
- Take B vitamins.
- Do not drink coffee and black tea, replacing them with herbal teas.
- Conduct daily oral hygiene.
- Quit smoking tobacco.
- Maintain intestinal microflora.
All these measures will help prevent the appearance of brown plaque on the tongue. In the event that brown deposits appear regularly and are not brushed off with a toothbrush, you should consult a doctor for advice and possible treatment.
The author of the article: Gorshenina Elena Ivanovna | Gastroenterologist
Education: Diploma in the specialty "General Medicine" received at the Russian State Medical University named after N. I. Pirogova (2005). Postgraduate studies in the specialty "Gastroenterology" - educational and scientific medical center.
