Black tongue in a child: causes of color changes and possible diseases. The child has a black tongue

Language is an organ that reflects the state of health, both in an adult and in a child. If you regularly examine the tongue, then you can diagnose certain deviations in health at an early stage. The article contains material that will help you understand why a child has a plaque in the tongue and how to get rid of it.

Where does the plaque on the child's tongue come from?

What coating on the child's tongue is the norm?

Plaque in children's language is common, but only if it light shade, transparent (through it the state and color of the language are clearly visible), easy to remove at the time of eating or brushing the teeth of the child and his oral cavity, has no smell. Most often, this phenomenon can be observed after a night's sleep. The cause of its occurrence is the subsidence organic elements saliva on the surface of the tongue.

What plaque on the tongue indicates health problems?

If it is observed plaque thickening, discoloration and bad breath - this is the result of the vital activity of bacteria and fungi. Of course, the body is not a sterile substance and microorganisms are always present in it, but the immunity of a healthy child controls their numbers. With a decrease in immunity, the occurrence of any diseases, there is a significant growth of pathogenic bacteria and fungi, which is accompanied by the formation of plaque in the children's language.

What the color of the child's tongue says - all the causes and methods of treating gray, yellow, brown, green, black, orange, blue, white plaque in the table

The mucous membranes in children are very sensitive, so even minimal changes in the body (allergies, beriberi, dysbacteriosis, etc.) are reflected in the children's tongue. However, it should be borne in mind that plaque may also appear due to the use of food products that stain the mucous membrane of the tongue, therefore, it is necessary to exclude given fact.

Inspection of the child's tongue is carried out in the morning and during the day several times, and if the color of the tongue does not normalize, then it is necessary to pay attention to the health of the baby and show it to a specialist.

Causes and treatment of plaque in the child's tongue

With the appearance of persistent plaque, bad breath in a child, self-treatment is not permissible, since only a doctor can determine the exact cause and prescribe the appropriate treatment. In establishing an accurate diagnosis can help:

• Pediatrician.
• Dentist.
• Infectionist.
• Gastroenterologist.
• Dermatologist.
• Toxicologist.

The black tongue of a child does not look the best. Even a little creepy.

It can turn black in a child for quite peaceful reasons: he overate blueberries or blackberries, drank compote from currants, etc. Moreover, food staining of the tongue in black is caused not only by food and drink of a dark color.

Did you know that regular tomato juice can lead to dark coloration, as well as taking certain medications, such as activated charcoal?

But all these cases are absolutely safe, the blackness disappears without a trace after a couple of days.

But if a child has a black tongue persists for a long time there may be health problems that need to be treated.

Most Common Causes of Black Tongue Staining

• Taking iron preparations (sorbifer, ferronal, etc.) in the form of syrups. These medicines can be prescribed for children with iron deficiency anemia. After the end of the course of treatment, it will again acquire a normal color;


• Intestinal diseases. These include colitis, enteritis, dysbacteriosis. With these pathologies, not the whole, but only its root is stained.

The symptom is permanent, and this should alert parents;

• Diseases of the stomach, liver, gallbladder and biliary tract;


• Candidal stomatitis. With this pathology, the dark coloration is accompanied by a dense coating of off-white color;


• Diseases in which the child is forced to take antibiotics for a long time. In this case, the child's tongue does not turn black immediately, but a few days after the start of antibacterial treatment.

Black tongue in a child: how pathology manifests itself

Sometimes in medical terminology you can find the term "hairy tongue".

So ugly is the name of the same black-colored tongue of a child.

But why hairy?

But because in this condition, the papillae of the tongue are hyperplastic. This enlargement of the filiform papillae can resemble hair, hence the name.

Surprisingly, the hyperplasia can be quite large - the papillae increase in length (1 - 2 cm) and width (2 - 3 mm).

Of course, the pathology interferes with the child - there may be changes in taste sensations, dryness of the mucous membranes, itching of the palate, and the presence of a gag reflex when talking. Sometimes children complain about feeling foreign body in the mouth.
The only reassurance is that hairy tongue in children is a rare disease.

How to treat if a child has a black tongue

First of all, go to the pediatrician and undergo a detailed examination. Only by establishing the cause, the doctor will be able to prescribe adequate treatment.

In combination with the treatment of the underlying disease, local agents, the so-called keratolytics, are also used.

But their use is possible only under strict medical supervision.

Plaque on the tongue in a child can be both the cause of pathology and a normal reaction to a change in diet or poor hygiene. If the child has a normal microflora in the oral cavity, then no pathological manifestations will not be. In case of attachment of pathogenic bacteria in the oral cavity, an inflammatory process takes place, which will manifest itself various symptoms. One of obvious signs an ailment that is inherent in many diseases is a plaque in the tongue of one shade or another.

Children who have a white or grayish coating of low density are considered healthy. In this case, the sign is formed only in the morning, in infants - after feeding with milk. At healthy child through a thin film, a natural pinkish tint of the tongue is noticeable.

Etiology

The reasons for the appearance of plaque are very different. Most often, it is formed at the root of the tongue, since there is a sedentary part and it is the least amenable to cleaning.

The number and color of education may depend on the time of year. In winter, plaque on the tongue of an infant or older child is characterized by a thin layer and a light shade, while in summer it becomes thicker and acquires a more yellow tint. This is due to the fact that in summer the body requires abundant fluid intake, and dehydration contributes to the formation of plaque on the tongue.

The phenomenon when it appears the next morning in a child is considered quite normal. If the thickness of the plaque, its density and ease of removal changes, then this indicates a particular disease. First of all, the causes that contribute to the manifestation of the disease can be recognized by the color of the plaque.

A white coating on the tongue of a newborn can manifest itself from the so-called candidiasis, and among the people a simple thrush. With such a pathology in a baby, the formation does not disappear for several days, it can thicken, sometimes it spreads throughout the entire mucous membrane of the oral cavity.

in preschool and school age a symptom with a white tint indicates such pathologies:

• scarlet fever;
• flu;
• dysbacteriosis;
• stomatitis;
• caries;
• tonsillitis;
• pharyngitis;
• gastritis;
• allergic diseases.

If a child has a yellow coating that can be easily removed, you should not worry. In the case of a change in the shade of plaque, when it becomes a little brighter or dimmer and the plaque thickens, then pathologies have formed in a small organism:

• bright yellow - liver problems;
• the appearance of plaque on the lower part of the tongue - the presence of jaundice;
• greenish-yellow - diseases of the liver or gallbladder.

Along with a yellow tint, orange can also appear on the tongue. Such a change in shade indicates the formation of certain ailments - gastritis, reflux disease, stage 1 ulcer, problems of the esophagus.

Brown coating on the tongue of a baby or an older child is practically not manifested. This type of education is typical for smokers and those who abuse alcohol. However, such a sign can still indicate some pathological changes in the body. Most often, brown plaque informs about diseases of the digestive tract due to stagnation of bile, from dehydration, lack of vitamins, or as a result of taking antibiotics.

The causes of the appearance of red plaque and sores are associated with infectious diseases. Some infections and toxic substances stain the baby's tongue in a crimson color. This color can also appear with scarlet fever and bad job kidneys.

A green tint is characteristic of stagnation of bile, and blue is for dysentery, typhoid fever, heart disease or pathologies of the nervous system. A black coating on the tongue of a 1-year-old child does not indicate the presence of pathological processes. A dark, unpleasant formation is characteristic of such pathologies:

• damage to the gastrointestinal tract;
• cholera;
• Crohn's disease;
• dehydration, which leads to a high acidity of the blood;
• reproduction in the oral cavity of a chromogenic fungus.

According to the location of the plaque in the tongue baby you can understand which sore contributed to the formation of symptoms. Clinicians have identified the types of plaque localization and the disease it indicates:

• on the entire surface - a sign of dysbacteriosis and gastritis;
• at the root of the tongue - a violation of the large intestine;
• the middle part of the tongue plate - pathology of the duodenum 12;
• the anterior zone and its edges - the respiratory organs are affected;
• education in the middle of the tongue with a red tip - symptoms advanced level of hydrochloric acid.

Diagnostics

If a thick unpleasant symptom is detected in a child, an examination should be started immediately. Self-medication with such a symptom will not help, but can only aggravate the situation, since plaque on the tongue appears more than once, and indicates severe pathologies.

It doesn’t matter what age the child is, all the same, for examination, he needs to be taken to a pediatrician, dentist, infectious disease specialist, gastroenterologist, dermatologist and toxicologist. To determine the disease, they conduct laboratory and instrumental examinations. A comprehensive laboratory and instrumental examination allows you to accurately determine the pathology and prescribe effective treatment.

Treatment

In order not to form ulcers and plaque in the oral cavity, when brushing your teeth, you need to clean your tongue well. In this case, the movements should be from root to tip. If after the procedure no improvement is noticeable, then you should consult a doctor. Also, according to clinicians, tinctures from various herbs help to get rid of plaque. Decoctions of oak bark, sage, St. John's wort, chamomile and yarrow can be used to rinse the mouth after each meal, which also relieves the symptom.

If the mother is still breastfeeding the baby, then she needs to monitor her diet. A change in diet can trigger various changes in the composition of milk, which leads to the appearance of plaque. In this case, the mother should return to her previous diet and clean the baby's oral cavity with special means.

If thrush is detected, the baby should be treated with a solution of drinking water with soda. If such a procedure is not enough and the plaque does not go away, then doctors may prescribe antifungal creams or ointments.

In case of detection of more serious pathologies, doctors prescribe drug treatment in accordance with the diagnosed disease.

Prevention

For prevention, doctors recommend brushing your teeth every day. It is also necessary to rinse the mouth after each meal, and not once a day before bedtime. It is important not to quickly change the diet of the child and, in case of plaque, contact the pediatrician. In order to prevent the appearance of plaque on the tongue of an infant, the mother needs to follow a diet and follow the rules for the heat treatment of bottles, nipples and toys of the child.

Similar content

Plaque on the tongue is discomfort, which can also be accompanied by an unpleasant odor and has a different shade. In the vast majority of cases, such a manifestation is a signal that a person has some kind of pathological process associated with any internal organ, in particular the digestive system. According to the state of the oral cavity and the type of plaque, the doctor can make an assumption regarding the presence of a particular disease.

We all know that we need language to reproduce different sounds during speech, and he is also involved in digestion. In addition, the tongue informs us about the state of health. The language reflects "signals" that indicate the presence of certain diseases, including in a child.

If the children's tongue turned black

If a child has a black tongue, this fact cannot be ignored. Spots or plaque on the tongue are nothing more than superficial deposits on its mucous membrane. The dark "terrible" color is due to the pigments contained in this coating. The reasons may be different.

Food colorings

The foods your child eats contain food coloring. They are of synthetic origin and have a strong coloring effect. Getting on the mucous membrane of the mouth during meals, these active ingredients are deposited on the epithelium. Pigments are also found in a number of natural products. For example, blueberries, chokeberry, etc.

Sometimes a child, due to various medical indications, is prescribed medicines with a high iron content. One of clear examples- liquid iron-containing medicines, quite often prescribed to one-year-old children.

Candidiasis or oral thrush

Often, infants are prescribed antibiotics that provoke the development of yeast-like fungal cultures - thrush or candidiasis. Among them there are species synthesizing a dark (close to black) pigment. The appearance of spots begins with the back of the tongue. First, small black dots appear there. Further, the dots increase, gradually grow and merge with each other, forming dark spots.

Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract of a chronic type

Children's diseases associated with the gastrointestinal tract are now widespread. Taking chronic forms, they cause a cardinal change in the microflora in the digestive organs. As a result, intestinal dysbacteriosis against the background of colitis, enteritis, gastritis. If this situation also applies to you, you should not be surprised at the change in color of the mucous membranes of the tongue, it will most likely acquire a dark, almost black color.

Hypovitaminosis

In the course of careful research, it was found that with a lack of vitamins PP and vitamins of group B in the child's body, the mucous membrane of the tongue changes its color. There are raids or spots of black color.

Special cases

Hard to explain cases include the so-called "black hairy tongue". The nature of this phenomenon is still being studied, and today physicians cannot give an exhaustive explanation. The picture is as follows: at the tip and root of the tongue, the normal pink color is preserved, while multiple dark papillae grow on the back.

What should parents do?

Any changes in health or appearance the child should mobilize the psyche of the parents, concentrate their logic and sequence of actions. It is unacceptable to rush into the abyss of the Internet in order to find some kind of miracle cure based on dubious recipes in a couple of minutes. Also avoid all kinds of methods traditional medicine and don't panic at all.

The measures taken should be based on diagnostics. As soon as you find dark spots or plaque on the child's tongue, contact your district pediatrician immediately. Be especially careful when high temperature and the child's complaints of weakness. If there is none, find a specialist of a similar profile, not excluding a consultation in a paid clinic.

The doctor will make an initial examination and prescribe clarifying examinations. Although often the darkening of the tongue is easy to explain already at the initial examination. List of recommended actions by parents if the child has a black tongue:

Food coloring is to blame

Remove all coloring foods from your child's diet immediately. Buy a toothbrush with extremely soft bristles and gently brush your tongue. From now on, keep watching closely to see if the blackness is passing. Remember to follow the rules of oral hygiene.

The reason is fungal formations

In these cases, it is useless to remove plaque from the tongue mechanically - it will appear again and again. Treatment consists of two aspects: antiseptic treatment of the oral cavity externally and antifungal drugs inside.

Disruption of the digestive tract

Here, the only way to get rid of black plaque on the tongue is to eliminate the root cause. Identify it, make a rational diet, and also decide on medicine a gastroenterologist will help (of the medicines, Bifidumbacterin, Lacidophil or Linnex are usually prescribed).

vitamin deficiency

Looking into the baby's mouth, you can find a black tongue in the baby. A competent pediatrician at each appointment, first of all, does exactly this - he examines the oral cavity of a small patient. Perhaps the child drew and licked a felt-tip pen or nibbled on an ink pen the day before? This is the safest, but look closely, is it just a plaque or is the tongue itself dark in color?

Many diseases do not have any symptoms, but the tongue, in addition to its main functions, is one of the main indicators of health conditions. He can tell not only verbally, but also physically about problems and disorders in the functioning of the body. The normal appearance of the most muscular and mobile organ of the human body is an even pink color with a slightly whitish coating. Any other shade, spots, strange texture - an occasion to think about the state of health. If yellowish and white coating language is a very common occurrence and should not cause much concern, then its darkening is a rather rare situation and it is necessary to talk about this in more detail, especially when children are in the spotlight.

In infancy and beyond young age a black coating on the tongue may indicate very serious malfunctions and malfunctions in the body of a little man, which he himself cannot tell. But it's too early to panic, first of all, let's figure out the reasons for this deviation and try to find ways to solve this problem.

Nutritional reasons

The mucous surface of the tongue membrane tends to stain as a result of exposure to food dyes (synthetic or natural). In this situation, the black tongue of a child is absolutely safe. It is necessary to temporarily exclude from the children's diet foods and drinks that can give the tongue a dark color. These include: various berries (blackberries, blueberries, currants, prunes, mulberries, chokeberry), juices and compotes based on them, all kinds of lollipops, chewing gums, sweets, dark-colored drinks (including black tea, coffee). Then regular cleaning of the oral cavity will return the tongue to a healthy appearance.

Careful oral care is as follows. Rinse your mouth after every meal to remove food debris and reduce bacterial growth. You also need to teach your child to use a special tongue scraper; a regular toothbrush can also replace this tool.

In infants, with the premature introduction of complementary foods, a dark coating on the tongue may also appear, which indicates that the baby's stomach is not ready for food other than mother's milk. In this case, it is worthwhile to postpone acquaintance with new products for a while or change the approach to the nutrition system.

Medical causes

Taking iron-containing preparations (especially in liquid form), activated charcoal, antibiotic treatment - can cause a dark surface color children's language. A whole arsenal of medicines is able to cope with all sorts of diseases, but sometimes it deals a big blow to the body, weakening the immune system. And the tongue, like a mirror, reflects the state of human health.

Long-term and uncontrolled use of antibiotics is especially dangerous, it leads to a violation of the microflora not only of the intestines (dysbacteriosis), but also of the oral cavity, candidiasis (in other words, thrush or stomatitis) may develop, as a result of which, if treatment is not started in time, a gray plaque on the child's tongue. Finding this problem and eliminating the causes of occurrence, following the instructions and prescriptions of the local doctor will help to cope with a frightening raid. Do not try to remove plaque yourself. The use of antifungal drugs in conjunction with the treatment of the oral cavity with antiseptic solutions, the observance of a sparing diet will give a positive result.

This is one of the most serious reasons, the black color of the tongue may indicate a malfunction in digestive system, in some cases, other internal organs are also affected. In case of problems with the gastrointestinal tract, most likely, only the root of the tongue will be dark, the edges and tip will remain unchanged Pink colour. Chronic diseases such as colitis, enteritis, gastritis are most often accompanied by constipation, diarrhea, nausea and heartburn. But diseases of the pancreas and gallbladder begin asymptomatically, occasionally accompanied by a bitter taste in the mouth.

If you suspect a malfunction of the gastrointestinal tract, you must visit a pediatric gastroenterologist, conduct ultrasound and other necessary studies internal organs to identify the sore spot.

Further, with proper complex treatment and compliance healthy lifestyle life is not afraid of relapses. But most often, adults, rarely children, face blackening of the tongue due to pathologies with the gastrointestinal tract.

Causes in other diseases

1. Various infectious diseases respiratory tract (angina, acute tonsillitis, SARS), inflammation of the tonsils with fever, acid-base imbalance (acidosis) can also lead to the formation of a dark coating on the tongue in children. With the healing and subsiding of inflammation, the oral mucosa will come to its normal state without any extra effort. Rinsing the mouth with decoctions of pharmaceutical herbs (sage, chamomile, calendula) only with the approval of the pediatrician.
2. Complex vitamins will help increase immunity, avoid hypovitaminosis. Very often you can observe dark spots on the tongue in children whose body does not receive enough vitamins from groups PP, B. You should never resort to folk ways treatment of children without the supervision of a doctor, it is necessary to follow his prescriptions and not exceed the dosage of drugs.
3. Remak's syndrome (lead poisoning of the body) can cause a black tongue. This disease is accompanied by additional symptoms (darkening of the gums, metallic taste in the mouth). It is treated with combined drugs and the termination of the patient's contact with lead.
4. Crohn's disease, when the patient has an autoimmune process. In the skin and mucous membranes, the content of melanin increases, the work of the adrenal glands is disrupted, and the amount of hormones decreases. This disease is treated for a long time and difficult under the close supervision of doctors.

Physiological features

It happens that a dark coating appears in the middle and basal part of the tongue, forming a triangle or oval in the direction of the pharynx. This happens as a result of multiple growth of the papillae of the tongue. Their keratinization is similar to villi, they have a dark color. This condition is rare and is called hairy or villous tongue.

With the normal state of health of the child, in the absence of complaints of discomfort, dryness, it is not necessary to focus on this. It is often impossible to establish the cause of this phenomenon, and the restoration of the normal appearance of the tongue occurs in children on their own, without unnecessary treatment, within a couple of weeks.

It is worth remembering that with any deviation from the norm, it is still worth visiting a doctor, consulting to draw up a plan for observation and treatment. Do not self-medicate and do not try to independently look for the causes of a black tongue in children. Only a specialist (perhaps a pediatrician, gastroenterologist, dentist) can determine why the child has a dark coating on the tongue, help to cope with the problem and avoid its recurrence.

Maintain good hygiene, eat a healthy diet, avoid bad habits, go through scheduled examinations with doctors - this is the main thing in maintaining the health of you and your children. Be healthy - and your tongue will thank you!