Hairy Tongue Follow-up

  • Author: Denis P Lynch, DDS, PhD; Chief Editor: William D James, MD   more...
 
Updated: Jan 17, 2012
 

Further Inpatient Care

  • If hairy tongue is noted in a patient hospitalized for other reasons, instruct the nursing staff to encourage the patient to gently brush or scrape the tongue as necessary to debride the area. If the lesion persists, a dental consult is appropriate to rule out other clinically similar entities.
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Further Outpatient Care

  • If hairy tongue is noted in a patient as part of a routine outpatient examination, encourage the patient to gently brush or scrape the tongue as necessary to debride the area. In addition, encourage the patient to consult a dentist.
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Complications

  • The only complication associated with hairy tongue is an occasional candidal overgrowth, which often results in an uncomfortable glossopyrosis (burning tongue).
  • Altered taste sensation is a rare complication.
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Prognosis

  • The prognosis for hairy tongue is excellent. If the precipitating factors cannot be adequately controlled or compensated for, patients may have to make tongue brushing or scraping part of their daily oral hygiene regimen.
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Patient Education

  • Education regarding proper oral hygiene procedures is more easily provided to the patient as part of a routine dental appointment; however, encouragement in this regard is appropriate from any health care provider.
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Contributor Information and Disclosures
Author

Denis P Lynch, DDS, PhD  Professor of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, Office of the Dean, Marquette University School of Dentistry

Denis P Lynch, DDS, PhD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, American Dental Association, International Association for Dental Research, and Sigma Xi

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Specialty Editor Board

Bernice R Krafchik, MBChB, FRCPC  Professor Emeritus, Department of Pediatrics, Section of Dermatology, University of Toronto

Bernice R Krafchik, MBChB, FRCPC is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Dermatology, American Dermatological Association, Canadian Medical Association, College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario, Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, and Society for Pediatric Dermatology

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

David F Butler, MD  Professor of Dermatology, Texas A&M University College of Medicine; Chair, Department of Dermatology, Director, Dermatology Residency Training Program, Scott and White Clinic, Northside Clinic

David F Butler, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American Academy of Dermatology, American Medical Association, American Society for Dermatologic Surgery, American Society for MOHS Surgery, Association of Military Dermatologists, and Phi Beta Kappa

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Drore Eisen, MD, DDS  Consulting Staff, Department of Dermatology, Dermatology Research Associates of Cincinnati

Drore Eisen, MD, DDS is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Dermatology, American Academy of Oral Medicine, and American Dental Association

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Catherine M Quirk, MD  Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Dermatology, University of Pennsylvania

Catherine M Quirk, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha and American Academy of Dermatology

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

William D James, MD  Paul R Gross Professor of Dermatology, Vice-Chairman, Residency Program Director, Department of Dermatology, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine

William D James, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Dermatology and Society for Investigative Dermatology

Disclosure: Elsevier Royalty Other

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Brown hairy tongue in a middle-aged woman who drinks coffee. Note how the condition is limited to the mid-dorsal part of the tongue, becoming more prominent toward the posterior part.
Brown hairy tongue in a middle-aged man who smokes cigarettes. The condition is limited to the posterior two thirds of the dorsal surface of the tongue.
Close-up view of brown hairy tongue in a middle-aged man who smokes cigarettes. The condition is limited to the posterior two thirds of the dorsal surface of the tongue.
This patient is a middle-aged woman who drank coffee and smoked cigarettes for many years. Her chief complaint was a tickling sensation in the oral pharynx during swallowing. The slight greenish cast to her tongue was due to the use of a mouthwash immediately prior to her appointment.
This male geriatric patient had smoked a pipe for many years. He was unaware of the presence of his hairy tongue until it was brought to his attention during a routine dental examination.
Male geriatric patient had smoked a pipe for many years. He was unaware of the presence of his hairy tongue until it was brought to his attention during a routine dental examination. Photo 1 month following his initial examination. While he has not decreased his pipe smoking, he has gently brushed the dorsal surface of his tongue when he brushes his teeth during the intervening 4 weeks. The hairy tongue has completely resolved.
Middle-aged woman with a hairy tongue that is brown.
 
 
 
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