Re: HELP ALL!!! new issue!!!

[Guest guest]

Hi everyone

soon after posting early this morning I went to brush my teeth...... my entire tongue was completely black!!! I freaked. I had not drank or ate anything..... My hubby freaked too... I called my primary and she asked if I had taken Pepto Bis recently which I did last night as we went for Cajun food.... anyone heard of this? I have been very upset all day.... I though it was fungus or mold.... totally black, I am not kidding... any help or suggestions would be appreciated...

thanks shari

[Guest guest]

YES! My aunt once sent herself to ER for it and it was because of the Pepto Bismol. From now on you might want to switch to using either Zantac or Immodium depending on the type of stomach upset. Don't worry, apparently this is a fairly common side effect, although an unpleasant one.

-- Re: HELP ALL!!! new issue!!!

Hi everyonesoon after posting early this morning I went to brush my teeth...... my entire tongue was completely black!!! I freaked. I had not drank or ate anything..... My hubby freaked too... I called my primary and she asked if I had taken Pepto Bis recently which I did last night as we went for Cajun food.... anyone heard of this? I have been very upset all day.... I though it was fungus or mold.... totally black, I am not kidding... any help or suggestions would be appreciated...thanks shari Opinions expressed are NOT meant to take the place of advice given by licensed health care professionals. Consult your physician or licensed health care professional before commencing any medical treatment. "Do not let either the medical authorities or the politicians mislead you. Find out what the facts are, and make your own decisions about how to live a happy life and how to work for a better world." - Linus ing, two-time Nobel Prize Winner (1954, Chemistry; 1963, Peace)

[Guest guest]

Hi Shari,

I found these articles on line regarding black tongues. There are others if you want additional information. It doesn’t sound like anything to be alarmed over.

Kenda

Thank you for your interesting questions. As has clearly shown a black tongue can be related to external factors: Pepto Bismol, cigarettes, antibiotics. None of these causes, however, appear to explain your situation, in which the black tongue appears to be related to the vomitting.(I assume that your tongue is not black when you are not vomitting). It is possible that your tongue becomes coated with dark gastric contents and therefore has the appearance of being black. Does the tongue coloring remove easily? Does it recur only if you vomit?

The other issue in your letter is the problem of recurrent vomiting. If you look at the vomit : does it consist of recently ingested food or food eaten several hours previously? As an initial diagnostic approach to your problem, you should have an upper GI barium study that also checks your small intestine. This test would exclude mechanical obstruction as a cause for the vomiting. causes of obstruction include, ulcers, adhesions and endometriosis. Subsequent tests would depend on the details of your medical history and the results of the barium study.

This information is provided for educational purposes only. Always consult your physician for specific medical questions.

 Fortunately, a black tongue is not usually a serious problem. The top of the human tongue is covered with small bumps called papillae which contain taste buds. These papillae can overgrow, elongate and give the tongue a furry appearance. This elongation comes from an abnormal accumulation of keratin, the primary protein found in hair and skin. Keratin normally covers and protects the top of the tongue cells and this protein constantly falls off while being remade.

          Black tongue can be caused by smoking, antibiotic overuse, oral radiation therapy, poor oral hygiene, strong mouthwashes and/or antacids. Dyes contained in some foods and drugs can color the tongue black, especially coffee. Patients with candidal infections on the tongue can have it. Candidal overgrowth is common when antibiotics are abused since the bacteria which keep candida in check are killed off. In rare cases, it could be an early sign of HIV infection. Other names are furry tongue, black hairy tongue, lingua nigra, melanoglossia, and nigrities linguae.

          Most of the time patients experience no pain or discomfort. Treatment of a black tongue should be designed address the cause. However, using a tongue scraper to clean the surface of the tongue along with brushing the tongue with baking soda often reduces or eliminates the problem. Since nutritional deficiencies may be contribute, eating a well balanced diet along with taking vitamin and mineral supplements is always a good idea.

Hi everyone

soon after posting early this morning I went to brush my teeth...... my entire tongue was completely black!!! I freaked. I had not drank or ate anything..... My hubby freaked too... I called my primary and she asked if I had taken Pepto Bis recently which I did last night as we went for Cajun food.... anyone heard of this? I have been very upset all day.... I though it was fungus or mold.... totally black, I am not kidding... any help or suggestions would be appreciated...

thanks shari

Opinions expressed are NOT meant to take the place of advice given by licensed health care professionals. Consult your physician or licensed health care professional before commencing any medical treatment.

" Do not let either the medical authorities or the politicians mislead you. Find out what the facts are, and make your own decisions about how to live a happy life and how to work for a better world. " - Linus ing, two-time Nobel Prize Winner (1954, Chemistry; 1963, Peace)