Hairy tongue is an uncommon, benign condition that is also known as black hairy tongue or lingua nigra

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Hairy tongue is an uncommon, benign condition that is also known as black hairy tongue or lingua nigra. It is characterised by abnormal blackish or dark brownish discoloration of the thread-like elevations (filiform papillae) that cover most of the tongue's surface. Such changes often begin at the back of the top of the tongue and extend toward the front 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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Keywords: -, bacteria, bacterial, black, discoloration, fungal, fungus, hairy, health, healthcare, infection, lingua, medical, medicine, mouth, nigra, photograph, tongue, villosa