Hairy tongue (lingua villosa nigra) is condition affecting 0.6% to 13% people worldwide. Here, there is buildup of the filiform papillae over the upper surface of tongue giving a discolored and furry appearance. It generally arises due to lack of hygiene or excessive use of certain products like tobacco. It is a harmless condition but timely treatment should be undertaken to avoid further complications. Introduction: Hairy tongue is a harmless but unpleasant condition where the surface of the tongue gets discolored with a furry appearance.
Here, the upper surface of the tongue becomes rough in texture with tiny protrusions called filiform papillae. These filiform papillae are small cone shaped, elongated protrusions which grip food on the surface of the tongue. These usually shed from the tongue when new ones grow. But when these papillae do not shed properly, there is buildup of skin…
