In a rare case, woman diagnosed with black hairy tongue; know the causes, treatment

The doctors also found that the woman’s face had turned grey. They were shocked as the patient opened her mouth, revealing a ‘painful’ carpet of black and brown ‘hair-like’ taste buds, as reported by The Metro. They said that the grey patches on her face were characteristic of minocycline-induced skin damage because the drug turns black when oxidised and can cause skin discolouration. So, the doctors changed her medication plan.

“Six weeks later, her facial pigmentation and BHT markedly improved. In this case, the disease course suggested that it was an adverse reaction to minocycline, with a causality rating of ‘probable’ according to the WHO-Uppsala Monitoring Centre Scale,” the doctors said.

What is BHT?

A black hairy tongue is a benign reversible condition that gives a dark and furry appearance. (Source: Freepik)

Explaining the condition, Dr Satish Koul, director of Internal Medicine, Fortis Memorial Research Institute, Gurgaon told indianexpress.com, “A black hairy tongue is a benign reversible condition that gives a dark and furry appearance. The distinct look usually results from a buildup of dead skin cells on the tiny projections (papillae) on the surface of the tongue that contain the taste buds. These can easily trap and be stained by bacteria, yeast, tobacco, food and other substances. Although BHT may look alarming, it usually does not lead to any health problems, and is typically painless.” He, however, he noted that BHT is a manifestation of a systemic condition.

“Besides discolouration of the tongue, a patient might also experience an altered or metallic taste in the mouth, bad breath and a gagging or tickling sensation,” he added.

The cause of BHT can’t always be determined, however, Dr Koul said that the contributing factors can include changes in the normal bacteria of the mouth after antibiotic use, poor oral hygiene, dry mouth, regular use of mouthwashes with oxidising agents, tobacco use, drinking too much coffee or black tea, excessive alcohol use or eating a soft diet that doesn’t help to remove dead skin cells from the tongue.

“It can be resolved by eliminating the possible factors causing it and good oral hygiene practices,” he concluded.

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