I have black spots on my tongue

I have some black spots on my tongue which are bothering me a lot. Kindly let me know how to remove them.

Halima (by SMS)

Black spots on the tongue can be caused by a number of reasons such as; Poor Oral hygiene, Repeated trauma to the tongue such as biting the tongue or taking very hot and spicy foods, Excessive intake of alcohol and smoking, Allergies, Pregnancy or taking oral contraceptive pills as well as Oral Cancer. If the dark spots on your tongue is not caused by a serious condition, you can easily get rid of it by making some adjustment on your lifestyle and oral health. Improper oral hygiene is the major cause of this tongue condition and it is therefore important to improve on it if you are intending to get rid of stains on your tongue.  Brushing or scraping your tongue at least once or twice a day helps to remove the dirty that harbors the fungi that causes the dark stains.

Smoking tobacco stains your tongue and teeth and encourages the formation of plaque that provides favorable condition for bacterial and fungal growth. Excessive intake of alcohol may also cause excessive dehydration of soft tissues in your mouth and therefore leading to plaque formation. Dehydration encourages formation of plaque or stains on your tongue and teeth. Ensure that you take 8 glasses of water or more to keep your body hydrated. Drinking water regularly also helps to clean your mouth. Add more and quality roughages to your diet. It helps in cleaning the black spots on tongue and hence keeping the plaque at bay. Incorporate sufficient fruits and raw vegetables in your diet. However, this condition can also be caused by life threatening conditions like oral cancer and it is recommended to visit your doctor for diagnosis and treatment especially when experiencing bleeding, inflammation, swelling or pain.

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