tongue, black hairy

Black hairy tongue (lingua nigra) is caused by accumulation of debris on the tongue. It is chronic if left alone but disappears with regular cleansing of the tongue. A dental hygienist can show your child how to brush his tongue. It can appear during long-term antibiotic treatment as well. Another common cause of black tongue is the consumption of bismuth-containing medicines, most notably Pepto Bismol®.

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