MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia: Black hairy tongue

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Black hairy tongue

A black hairy tongue is produced when the papilla (finger-like projections from the surface of the tongue) fail to fall off, as they normally do. As the length of the papilla increases, debris collects and bacteria grow, producing the characteristic dark "furry" appearance. This can be associated with antibiotic use.

Update Date: 1/17/2004

Updated by: Michael Lehrer, M.D., Department of Dermatology, University of Pennsylvania Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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