Treatment for Red, Black & Brown Patches in the Mouth

Red/black/brown patches are frequently seen in the mouth.

What causes red/black/brown patches in the mouth?

• Red patches can be caused by inflammation related to trauma or infections.
• Generalized pigmentation in mouth may be physiologic in nature or caused by certain drugs/smoking.
• Brown, blue, gray, and black patches are often attributed to the deposition or production of various internal or external pigmented substances.
• They could also represent an oral manifestation of a systemic disease.
• However, they can also be sinister, and signify precancerous or cancerous change such squamous cell carcinoma or melanoma.

How are red/black/brown patches treated?

Diagnosis of red/black/brown patches is mainly clinical examination but also include microbiological and serological investigations, diascopy, radiography as well as tissue biopsy to correctly identify the cause of these color change and manage promptly.