| Exodontia.Info |
| Black Hairy Tongue (Lingua Villosa Nigra) |
What is Black Hairy Tongue?
Black Hairy Tongue is the name given to the appearance of
an abnormal coating of the tongue.
It is a benign disorder characterised by thickening of the
filiform papillæ (these are mushroom-shaped projections
covering most of the top surface of the tongue) of the
tongue. A brownish-black discoloration of the papillæ
occurs.
Black Hairy Tongue is the name given to the appearance of
an abnormal coating of the tongue.
It is a benign disorder characterised by thickening of the
filiform papillæ (these are mushroom-shaped projections
covering most of the top surface of the tongue) of the
tongue. A brownish-black discoloration of the papillæ
occurs.
Why does it happen?
There is defective shedding of the cells in the central
column of the filiform papillæ of the tongue resulting in the
formation of highly elongated, horn-like spines or "hairs" -
the hallmark of this disease. The cause for this is unknown
and often no definite cause can be identified.
Often there are no symptoms other than the cosmetic or
anxiety over its cause. Some patients complain of gagging,
nausea, alteration of taste or bad breath.
Contributing factors may include:
How is it treated?
The condition may be very persistent and treatments
include:
Useful Websites:
Mayo Clinic
Medline Plus
Emedicine.com
New England Journal of Medicine
There is defective shedding of the cells in the central
column of the filiform papillæ of the tongue resulting in the
formation of highly elongated, horn-like spines or "hairs" -
the hallmark of this disease. The cause for this is unknown
and often no definite cause can be identified.
Often there are no symptoms other than the cosmetic or
anxiety over its cause. Some patients complain of gagging,
nausea, alteration of taste or bad breath.
Contributing factors may include:
- administration of topical or systemic antibiotics
- soft diet
- hypo-salivation
- poor oral hygiene
- smoking
- alcohol
- use of mouthwashes
- iron compounds use of medications containing bismuth
such as Pepto-Bismol antiseptic lozenges
How is it treated?
The condition may be very persistent and treatments
include:
- increasing hydration and salivation
- discontinuing smoking
- using a tongue scraper
- brushing the tongue with a soft tooth brush followed by
use of a dilute solution of hydrogen peroxide - scraping the tongue with a peach stone
- eating pineapple
- using sodium bicarbonate mouthwashes
- topical retinoids or steroids
- gentian violet, thymol, salicylic acid or vitamin B
complex and - surgical excision of the papillæ.
Useful Websites:
Mayo Clinic
Medline Plus
Emedicine.com
New England Journal of Medicine
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| Last Updated 17th February 2012 |
| Photos of Black Hairy Tongue |