Tongue, Hairy / Disease

Diseases & Conditions

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Tongue, Hairy

Synonyms of Tongue, Hairy

Black Hairy Tongue
Black Tongue
Lingua Nigra
Lingua Villosa Nigra

Disorder Subdivisions

General Discussion
Hairy tongue is an uncommon, benign condition that is also known as black hairy tongue or lingua nigra. It is characterized by abnormal elongation and blackish or dark brownish discoloration or staining of the thread-like elevations (filiform papillae) that cover most of the tongue's surface (dorsum linguae). Such changes often begin at the back (posterior) region of the top of the tongue and extend toward the front (anterior) of the tongue's surface but never involve the undersurface.

The specific underlying cause of hairy tongue is unknown. However, possible predisposing factors may include poor oral hygiene and overgrowth of pigment-producing bacteria or fungi in the mouth, treatment with certain antibiotic medications, smoking, chewing tobacco, and/or mouthwash use.
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Organizations related to Tongue, Hairy

NIH/National Oral Health Information Clearinghouse
1 NOHIC Way
Bethesda MD 20892-3500
Phone #: 301-402-7364
800 #: --
e-mail: [email protected]
Home page: http://www.nohic.nidcr.nih.gov
Smell and Taste Center
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia PA 19104
Phone #: 215-662-6580
800 #: --
e-mail: [email protected]
Home page: http://www.med.upenn.edu/stc

For a Complete Report

This is an abstract of a report from the National Organization for Rare Disorders, Inc. ? (NORD). A copy of the complete report can be obtained for a small fee by visiting the NORD website. The complete report contains additional information including symptoms, causes, affected population, related disorders, standard and investigational treatments (if available), and references from medical literature. For a full-text version of this topic, see http://www.rarediseases.org/search/rdblist.html