hi,Certain lifestyle habits and conditions can make people more likely to develop
black hairy tongue. They include:
poor
oral hygiene,
smoking tobacco, drinking a lot of coffee or tea, using antibiotics (which may disrupt the normal balance of bacteria in the mouth), being dehydrated, not producing enough saliva, regularly using mouthwash that contains peroxide or menthol, getting
radiation therapy to the head and neck.Practicing good oral hygiene is the best way to treat black hairy tongue. Gently brush your teeth twice a day with a soft toothbrush. Also, brush your tongue. You can use a tongue scraper to make sure you're thoroughly cleaning the area. Drink plenty of water throughout the day to help keep your mouth clean.Add more roughage to your diet. Soft foods won't clean off the tongue effectively.
Call your doctor or
dentist if the problem doesn't get better on its own. Your doctor may prescribe antibiotics or an antifungal drug to get rid of the bacteria or yeast. Topical medications, such as
tretinoin (
Retin-A) are also sometimes prescribed. As a last resort, if the problem doesn't improve, the papillae can be surgically clipped off with a laser or electrosurgery.
take care
Other tips include:
If you smoke, quit.
Add more roughage to your diet. Soft foods won't clean off the tongue effectively.
Call your doctor or dentist if the problem doesn't get better on its own. Your doctor may prescribe antibiotics or an antifungal drug to get rid of the bacteria or yeast. Topical medications, such as tretinoin (Retin-A) are also sometimes prescribed. As a last resort, if the problem doesn't improve, the papillae can be surgically clipped off with a laser or electrosurgery.