How Is Black Hairy Tongue Treated?
Practicing good oral hygiene is the best way to treat black hairy tongue. Gently brush your teeth twice a day with a soft toothbrush. Also, brush your tongue. You can use a tongue scraper to make sure you’re thoroughly cleaning the area. Drink plenty of water throughout the day to help keep your mouth clean. Other tips include: • If you smoke, quit. • Add more roughage to your diet. Soft foods won’t clean off the tongue effectively. Call your doctor or dentist if the problem doesn’t get better on its own. Your doctor may prescribe antibiotics or an antifungal drug to get rid of the bacteria or yeast. Topical medications, such as tretinoin (Retin-A) are also sometimes prescribed. As a last resort, if the problem doesn’t improve, the papillae can be surgically clipped off with a laser or electrosurgery.
