Black Hairy Tongue

Q:  What is Black Hair Mouth? The dentist told me two years ago that I had this but that it doesn't bother anything and I should just rinse with hydrogen peroxide.

A:  What you have is usually referred to as Black Hairy Tongue. It is a benign condition and the cause is not known. The cells of the top layer of the tongue get enlarged, then don't normally slough off, resulting in kind of a thick mat. This extra tissue can get stained by food materials, bacteria, or tobacco and become yellowish, brown or black. You just need to take a little extra care to brush your tongue or rinse your mouth. Sometimes Black Hairy Tongue will disappear spontaneously.

"Dear Doctor" is a compilation of patient questions answered by doctors from the Medical College of Wisconsin.