A hairy tongue can affect your appearance and smile. It can also impact how you interact with other people. When you have this condition, debris and bacteria are likely to build up, which can result in bad breath. In addition, it can impact the way food tastes. The good news is that a hairy tongue is temporary. By implementing simple tips such as improving your oral hygiene, the hairy tongue can be resolved.
How Does A Hairy Tongue Occur?
Hairy tongue occurs when the papillae in the tongue fail to shed as they should. This issue usually happens due to too much bacteria in the mouth. When bacteria build up on the tongue, the papillae start growing instead of shedding. This creates hair-like projections, which can lengthen up to 15 times their normal size.
Papillae are usually pink with white coatings. As they grow, food and bacteria can get caught, which changes the tongue color to black or brown. While poor oral health is the leading cause of a hairy tongue, tobacco products, and a dry mouth also increase the risk of this condition.
How Can You Resolve The Symptoms Of A Hairy Tongue?
A hairy tongue can go away in several weeks with good oral hygiene practices. This may involve brushing and flossing regularly to reduce the number of bacteria in the mouth. A mouthwash can also help in this case. If you smoke or use alcohol, you may need to limit or stop to restore your oral health. Most importantly, a tongue scraper should be at the top of your teeth-cleaning tools list. It helps to remove the dead papillae, food debris, and bacteria.
If these procedures aren't successful, you may need to make an appointment with a dentist. The professional may find other possible causes of the hairy tongue and determine the right treatment. Visit us and learn more about hairy tongue and how to prevent it from happening.
Dental Blog | Dentist Edmonds, WA | Perrinville Family Dentistry Dr. Jacky from Perrinville Family Dentistry is offering this blog as a resource to the community. Click here to learn more about procedures, home care, and more! Perrinville Family Dentistry, 7533 Olympic View Dr. Suite C Edmonds, WA 98026 - (425) 616-0620 - perrinvillefamilydentistry.com - 12/6/2023 - Tags: dentist -
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A hairy tongue can affect your appearance and smile. It can also impact how you interact with other people. When you have this condition, debris and bacteria are likely to build up, which can result in bad breath. In addition, it can impact the way food tastes. The good news is that a hairy tongue is temporary. By implementing simple tips such as improving your oral hygiene, the hairy tongue can be resolved.
Gary J. Jacky, DMD