Tongue hairy and discolored: smoker (64) experiences his green miracle

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The case is so unusual that it was featured in the renowned New England Journal of Medicine. A man’s tongue in Ohio has turned green — and hair appears to have grown on the surface.

The medical journal reports that the smoker went to the hospital after several weeks. Three weeks earlier, he had undergone a course of antibiotics for gingivitis.

The reason for the unusual — and unsavory — discoloration isn’t entirely clear. Doctors suspect that smoking, taking antibiotics, or a combination of the two caused the reaction.

He had to scrub his tongue every day

Smoking can encourage bacteria and plaque buildup, while antibiotics disrupt the population of bacteria and viruses in the mouth. The patient’s tongue had an “abnormal coating” of skin cells that grow on the tongue when the so-called filiform papillae — small cone-shaped projections that contain taste buds — enlarge and develop due to dirt and bacteria accumulating in this area. discolored .

A hairy tongue is sometimes seen in older people, although men are more affected than women. The “hairs” are caused by a buildup of dead skin cells that contain the taste buds. These then become longer than normal, making it look like hairs have grown.

But how was the man helped? Doctors sent him home and advised him to brush the surface of his tongue with a toothbrush four times a day. After half a year, the tongue was all right again. They also suggested that he quit smoking, which he did not heed. (new)

Source: Blick