Man's Tongue Sprouts Green Hair After Years Of Smoking Cigarettes

A man from Ohio had an unusual reaction after smoking cigarettes and taking antibiotics. His tongue turned green and became hairy, which was documented in a recent study published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

The New England Journal of Medicine

The 64-year-old smoker visited a doctor a few weeks after his tongue started changing color and growing fur, resembling the transformation of a werewolf. The doctors diagnosed him with a condition called hairy tongue, where the tiny taste bud-containing bumps on the tongue, known as filiform papillae, become enlarged and discolored due to a buildup of bacteria and debris.

One India

The enlarged and discolored filiform papillae on the man's tongue resembled hairs, which can grow up to an inch long if not regularly scraped. They can also trap bacteria, food particles, and yeast, creating a net-like structure on the tongue. The substances caught in this net contribute to the hairy appearance and can affect the person's sense of taste.

“Hairy tongue may appear brown, white, green, or pink, depending upon the specific cause and other factors, such as mouthwashes or even candy,” the American Academy of Oral Medicine writes.

Hairy tongue is typically associated with inadequate oral hygiene and tends to affect adults over the age of 40, with a higher prevalence among men. Smoking exacerbates this condition by promoting the buildup of bacteria and plaque on the tongue.

The doctors did not disclose the duration of the Ohio man's tobacco use.

In this particular case, the patient's hairy tongue could have had an alternate cause. The medical team later discovered that the man had recently completed a course of the antibiotic clindamycin to treat a gum infection.

According to WebMD, the use of antibiotics can disrupt the balance of microorganisms in the mouth by altering their numbers and types, leading to their accumulation on the tongue's surface.

The doctors did not specify whether the patient's condition was triggered by smoking, antibiotic use, or a combination of both.

Fortunately, this condition is generally temporary and harmless, with the most notable symptom being a burning sensation on the tongue.

Thankfully, patients can alleviate this condition by gently scrubbing the tongue with a toothbrush or tongue scraper. In the case of the Ohio man, he was advised to perform this oral hygiene routine four times a day.

The doctors also advised the patient to quit smoking, recognizing the association between smoking and the condition.

After six months, the hairy appearance of the patient's tongue had completely disappeared, even though he had not stopped smoking.

To prevent the occurrence of a hairy tongue, doctors recommend practicing good oral hygiene.

“Brushing the top of the tongue with a toothbrush should be part of regular daily oral hygiene activities,” AAOM writes. “Many individuals are sensitive and have a tendency to ‘gag’ when accomplishing this procedure.”

They added, “Using a small brush and gradually going backward tends to lessen this problem.”

This fact gains significant importance considering that hairy tongue, despite its unusual nature, is surprisingly prevalent, affecting around 13% of adults at some point in their lives.

In a peculiar incident in 2022, an Indian man experienced an extraordinary occurrence where his tongue became covered in black hair, which is the most prevalent type, following a stroke.

Medical professionals suspected that the growth of hair on his tongue, referred to as "lingual fur-festation," was attributed to the patient's diet consisting primarily of soft foods and liquids. This dietary regimen was recommended due to his medical condition, as these softer options do not provide the same level of abrasion to the tongue's surface as harder foods would.