Hairy Tongue

Hairy tongue (also referred to as lingua villosa) can be described as a harmless condition of defective desquamation of the filiform papillae owing to a number of precipitating factors. It is also commonly regarded as black hairy tongue (medically, termed as lingua villosa nigra), which appears brown, green, pink or white in color, or either of variety of hues, as per the etiology as well as secondary factors. It can be usually treated through antibiotics. Some of the known causes of a hairy tongue include AIDS, drinking coffee, excessive use of mouthwashes consisting of oxidized ingredients, dyes used in drugs and food, tobacco use, and radiation of the neck and head.