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.

Review Date: 1/29/2025
Reviewed By: Ashutosh Kacker, MD, FACS, Professor of Clinical Otolaryngology, Weill Cornell Medical College, and Attending Otolaryngologist, New York-Presbyterian Hospital, New York, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.

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