Not “ Green” From Envy

A man from Ohio suffered from a rare condition called "hairy tongue." A report says that his tongue turned green and hairy due to smoking while taking antibiotics.

The 64-year-old man noticed his tongue was beginning to change color a few weeks before visiting a primary care facility. The man had finished taking a course of the antibiotic clindamycin for a gum infection about three weeks before going to the doctor, Daily Mail reported.

He admitted that he smoked. It is unknown how long he had smoked, and the case report's authors did not say if the disease was particularly brought on by smoking, using antibiotics, or a combination of the two.

But prior studies have shown that smoking can adversely affect dental health, including the accumulation of bacteria and plaque.

Meanwhile, medications can change the microbiome in the mouth, causing bacteria to change and build up on the tongue.

The individual was diagnosed with a hairy tongue, which is indicated by an abnormal coating on the tongue's top surface, also known as the dorsal area.

A deposit of dead skin cells on the papillae, or taste buds, on the tongue causes a hairy tongue. Then, the papillae lengthen above usual, giving the tongue a hairy appearance.

They also catch other things, including yeast and germs.

There are no symptoms most of the time, although occasionally, the tongue may burn. This results from yeast and bacteria accumulating on the tongue's surface.

The syndrome is often transient and very harmless.

While it can happen at any age, a hairy tongue is most frequently encountered in older people. Men experience it more often than women do.

While the tongue normally turns black, it can also turn brown, yellow, or green. The American Academy of Oral Medicine (AAOM) estimates that it affects 13% of Americans

Hairy tongue can be brought on by poor oral hygiene (not cleaning your mouth), medicine use, prolonged or chronic antibiotic use, radiation therapy to the head and neck region, excessive coffee or tea consumption, or tobacco use. People without teeth are also susceptible because their soft food diet prevents the papillae from being shed normally, per AAOM.

https://www.sciencetimes.com/articles/44823/20230712/64-year-old-man-ohio-suffers-green-hairy-tongue-due.htm

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