What causes black hairy tongue?

Dr. D.Sendhil Nathan MDS, DNB Prosthodontics And Implantology

February 26th, 2020

Black layer on the tongue looks scary but it is a harmless condition. The black color makes the tongue looks hairy but they are not hairs. Such black, hairy tongue is caused by the collection of dead cells on tiny grooves called papillae present in the tongue surface.

Moreover, papillae can be easily stained or discolored with coloring agents present in food and oral bacteria as they trap in the minute holes. The black-colored fury appearance on the tongue can be cured by eliminating the contributing factors.

What causes Black hairy Tongue?

• Poor Oral Hygiene – Build-up of dead cells and oral bacteria will take place if you do not clean your tongue properly. The gathering process continues that will make the tongue looks more awful. Clean your tongue with a toothbrush or tongue scraper daily. It will prevent tongue discoloration and can cure black tongue.
• Smoking – Cigarettes and chewing tobacco are detrimental to both teeth and tongue. The toxic and chemical substances present in tobacco products stain the tongue as well as the teeth. To put it simply, smokers are more prone to black hairy tongue than non-smokers.
• Less Salivary Production – Saliva can clean a certain amount of dead cells and stains on the tongue surface. When our body does not produce enough saliva, the cleaning does not happen. Common factors that trigger less saliva production include salivary tumors, smoking and radiation.
• Drinking Tea and Coffee – Beverages like tea and coffee have a compound called “Tannins” which can stain our teeth and tongue. If you drink too much tea or coffee, then rinse well your mouth after drinking it.
• Mouthwashes – Some mouthwashes contain oxidizing agents like Hydrogen Peroxide. Similarly, alcohols contain an oxidizing substance called Chromic acid. The oxidative particles nurture the microbes in the mouth and lead to various dental dilemma including tongue discoloration.
• Soft diet plan – The food items we bite and chew scrub a certain amount of dead cells on the tongue. Liquid food items cannot clean the dead cells in that manner. If you maintain a soft diet plan filled with drinks like juices, beverages, soups, then you will develop a black, hairy tongue.
• Medications – Tongue discoloration occurs due to the side effect of certain medications. It happens because of the ingredients like Bismuth subsalicylate which can irritate the tongue tissues and discolor the tongue surfaces.

Black hairy tongue treatment

The black layer on the tongue is a temporary condition and does not require treatment. It disappears or goes on its own over a while with good dental cleaning actions. If the black color on tongue exists more than 3 weeks, consult your Dentist. Nowadays, you can get laser treatment or electrosurgery to get rid of this problem.

Here are the effective ways to cure black hairy tongue suggested by our Dentists:

• Drink more water to salivate your mouth
• Avoid smoking, tobacco products and alcohol
• Add dairy products like milk, cheese in your diet
• Main an effective oral hygiene routine. Brush twice, Floss once and don’t forget clean (scrub with a tongue scraper) your tongue.
• If you are taking medication or drugs for any physical ailments and notice a black layer on the tongue, consult your Doctor to reduce the dose of medication. Otherwise, get antibacterial or antifungal medication to prevent accumulation of bacteria or yeast.
• Limit the consumption of coffee, tea especially black tea

Bottom Line

Similar to the white layer on tongue, the black hairy tongue also occurs due to bacteria imbalance triggered with poor oral care, health disorders. Even it looks scary, it is a benign condition and can be cured with some lifestyle adjustments and advanced dental treatments.