Sign-in to Ask A Doctor - 24x7
OR
Sign in with Google
Have Brown Spot Under Tongue. What Is Causing This?
Question: I have a small brown spot under my tongue which doesnt hurt much but is irritating.no pus,not white and red in color just noticed a week ago no pus coming out and neither red or white.
Hi.
Thank you for writing to us.
I request you to provide a little extra information, if you don't mind. Do you smoke (if yes, since when, how often)? Alcohol (if yes, since when, how often)? Do you often take medication (especially chewable tablets)?
The occurrence of a brown spot on the tongue is usually seen in 2-3 conditions. They are:
-Oral fibroma (hyper-pigmentation; like a birth mark; can appear at any point in life). This will not affect taste, will not cause pain, will not have any cavity that can drain pus. It is completely harmless, and usually will not require any kind of treatment unless it causes irritation or obstruction
-Cancer is a possibility that should always be considered, and simultaneously ruled out. In your case, the cancer we need to rule out is a melanoma. Please do not be alarmed, doctor's always prefer to rule out the worst right at the beginning.
-Infections (due to bacteria accumulation), medications, certain foods, etc; that can mildly stain the tongue
I would advise you to visit your doctor and get this spot examined, and even conduct a biopsy to rule out the cancer completely. In the meantime you could: take extra care of your oral hygiene (use liquid solutions like listerine, brush regularly, etc.)
I hope this information has helped. Do write back to me for any further clarifications. I would be glad to help.
Best wishes.
Thank you for writing to us.
I request you to provide a little extra information, if you don't mind. Do you smoke (if yes, since when, how often)? Alcohol (if yes, since when, how often)? Do you often take medication (especially chewable tablets)?
The occurrence of a brown spot on the tongue is usually seen in 2-3 conditions. They are:
-Oral fibroma (hyper-pigmentation; like a birth mark; can appear at any point in life). This will not affect taste, will not cause pain, will not have any cavity that can drain pus. It is completely harmless, and usually will not require any kind of treatment unless it causes irritation or obstruction
-Cancer is a possibility that should always be considered, and simultaneously ruled out. In your case, the cancer we need to rule out is a melanoma. Please do not be alarmed, doctor's always prefer to rule out the worst right at the beginning.
-Infections (due to bacteria accumulation), medications, certain foods, etc; that can mildly stain the tongue
I would advise you to visit your doctor and get this spot examined, and even conduct a biopsy to rule out the cancer completely. In the meantime you could: take extra care of your oral hygiene (use liquid solutions like listerine, brush regularly, etc.)
I hope this information has helped. Do write back to me for any further clarifications. I would be glad to help.
Best wishes.
Note: Find out which dental treatment will work best for your teeth. Ask here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
Get personalised answers from verified doctor in minutes across 80+ specialties
