Cousins! An Ohio man has undergone an interesting condition after taking antibiotics for a gum infection while also reportedly smoking cigarettes, which later resulted in a deep green-coated tongue!
According to the New England Journal of Medicine, the 64-year-old male had been taking the prescribed antibiotics consecutively for three weeks and smoking cigarettes at the same time.
Reports read that he was then diagnosed by doctors with a “hairy tongue, an abnormal coating of skin cells that forms on the tongue when the filiform papillae — tiny conical protrusions containing taste buds — become enlarged and discolored due to a buildup of debris and bacteria.”
It has been stated that the coated tongue hairs can grow up to an inch long if not scrapped regularly. This may also result in bacteria, yeast, and food getting trapped which will create a described oral net. “Hairy tongue may appear brown, white, green, or pink, depending upon the specific cause and other factors, such as mouthwashes or even candy,” says the American Academy of Oral Medicine.
Sources declare that a green tongue is caused by lack of oral hygiene. It can also be heightened by smoking, leading thick layers of plaque to accumulate on the tongue.
According to the NY Post, the Ohio resident’s condition has been described as harmless and seemingly temporary. However if the symptoms at all worsen it could lead to a burning tongue. He has been instructed to gently scrub his tongue with a toothbrush four times a day and reframe from smoking.
“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.”
“Using a small brush and gradually going backward tends to lessen this problem.”
Green and hairy tongues are common in adults occurring at 13% of individuals in a lifetime, mostly in men.