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Hairy Tongue, got any cures?

dales2loud
dales2loud CSN Member Posts: 45
in Head and Neck Cancer #1
Help I've got a bad case of; Hairy Tongue. My Doc's last advice was for me to ask my dentist. Does anyone have any advice for me or better yet how to get rid of it? I'm scraping and brushing it but it does not seem to be doing any good.
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  • kelin
    kelin CSN Member Posts: 1
    #2
    Practicing good oral hygiene
    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.
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