US man's tongue turned green and hairy: what are the causes (photos)

In the United States, a 64-year-old man went to the doctor with an unusual and somewhat disturbing symptom - his tongue had turned green and hairy. The American complained of difficulty speaking and an unpleasant sensation in his mouth.

According to The New England Journal of Medicine, when the doctors examined the patient, they found that his tongue had elongated threadlike papillae and was green in color. No other lesions of the oral cavity or teeth were noticed.

The man was diagnosed with hairy tongue.

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It is noted that the patient's tongue has become hairy and green due to the accumulation of dead skin cells on it. This causes the papillae that cover the tongue and contain the taste buds to lengthen. They trap other substances such as food, bacteria, and yeast. That's why the tongue turns green.

The doctors explained that such a disease can be caused by a rare side effect of antibiotics, poor oral hygiene, dry mouth, smoking, or eating soft foods that do not "rub off dead skin on the tongue."

Doctors say that the man had been taking antibiotics for a tooth infection just before the onset of symptoms. However, they reassured the patient that it was treatable, but he should take better care of his mouth.

He was also advised to brush his tongue gently with a toothbrush and quit smoking. Six months later, the American's tongue returned to its normal appearance, but he never quit smoking.

Earlier, UAportal collected inspiring stories of five celebrities who defeated nicotine and became happy in the battle against smoking.

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