Oral Care: All you Need to Know About Black Hairy Tongue, Its Causes and Treatment

Looking in the mirror and seeing a tongue that is black and hairy can be very unsettling for anyone. Luckily, a black hairy tongue is a condition that is fairly common and typically harmless. It is also easily treatable.

Oral Care: All you Need to Know About Black Hairy Tongue, Its Causes and Treatment

Looking in the mirror and seeing a tongue that is black and hairy can be very unsettling for anyone. Luckily, a black hairy tongue is a condition that is fairly common and typically harmless. It is also easily treatable.

Below is everything you need to know about black hairy tongue, including its symptoms, causes, risk factors, treatment, and prevention.

Black Hairy Tongue – What is It?

Black hairy tongue is a condition in which the top of the tongue discolours and looks hairy. The substance on the tongue, however, isn’t actually hair, and it may appear as a black, green, white, or brown colour. The colour results from little bumps on the surface of the tongue (filiform papillae) growing and collecting food particles, dead skin cells, and bacteria. Usually, the papillae (which are about 1mm long) are supposed to fall off (like a layer of skin being shed) before they grow, but with this condition, they can grow to be as long as 18mm.

Black hairy tongue is also very common and typically has no effects on overall health. The temporary condition can easily be resolved by improving oral hygiene.

Symptoms

Some of the tell-tale signs of black hairy tongue include;

• Discolouration of the tongue. This is usually a black colour, but it can be white, brown, yellow, tan, or green.

• A furry or hairy appearance of the tongue.

• An altered (metallic) taste in the mouth.

• Halitosis or bad breath.

• A tickling or gagging sensation (cases where papillae growth is excessive).

What Causes Black Hairy Tongue?

Black hairy tongue is typically caused by the overgrowth of papillae (projections on the tongue) on the surface of the tongue. The papillae, which contain the same protein that’s responsible for the growth of hair on the head, are supposed to shed like dead skin cells, but when they do not, the projections grow out and make the tongue look hairy.

Black hairy tongue is usually a result of little to no stimulation on the surface of the tongue. Some other contributing factors include; xerostomia (dry mouth), changes in the mouth’s normal bacteria or yeast content due to antibiotic use, radiation therapy, the use of certain types of mouthwash (peroxide), certain medications, heavy alcohol use, tobacco use, excessive consumption of coffee or black tea, and eating a soft diet (that doesn’t help to rub off dead skin cells from the tongue).

Diagnosis

Your dentist Sutton can usually diagnose black hairy tongue visually. They will start by reviewing your medical history to rule out any other possible causes (like oral lesions, foods, medications, and infections) that can also stain the tongue. Since the condition is painless, it is likely that you may not have any other symptoms to report. However, if you experience gagging, bad breath or are on any medications, be sure to tell your dentist about it.

Risk Factors

Black hairy tongue isn’t something to panic about as the condition is relatively common and can happen to individuals of any age. The likelihood, however, does increase as you get older, and it is less common in females than in males.

Black hairy tongue may also be triggered by certain lifestyle factors such as excessive consumption of alcohol, tobacco, coffee, and black tea. You also run a high risk of developing black hairy tongue if you have poor oral hygiene.

Treatment

Generally, black hairy tongue doesn’t cause harm to overall health. It is recommended that both the condition and any secondary cause be treated simultaneously.

An improved dental hygiene routine is the first step to treating black hairy tongue. Always clean the surface of your tongue with a soft, bristled toothbrush and a tongue scraper. In severe cases, your dentist may prescribe an antiseptic mouth rinse and some medications (antibiotics, antifungal or retinoids).

Eliminating all contributing factors is the next step in treating the condition. Avoid the excessive consumption of coffee, black teas, tobacco and alcohol. The use of irritating mouthwashes should also be avoided.

If the above methods don’t work to eliminate black hairy tongue, a final treatment option is traditional or laser surgery.

Prevention

Preventing black hairy tongue is easy. All you have to do is commit to a good oral hygiene routine. Brush and floss your teeth daily and make use of fluoride toothpaste and a tongue scraper. Also, make sure to schedule regular checkups and cleanings with your dentist while maintaining a healthy diet that contains a lot of vegetables, fruits, and water.

Conclusion

Although it looks awful, black hairy tongue is quite harmless and easy to treat. Maintaining good oral hygiene and making certain changes to your diet can effectively eliminate black hairy tongue. For severe cases where home remedies don’t work, your dentist may prescribe medication and surgery if necessary.