Man gets 'hairy, green tongue' due to smoking and simultaneous antibiotics use

Doctors diagnosed the man's green tongue with a condition known as 'hairy tongue'. (Image: The New England Journal of Medicine)

In a rare medical case, an American man's tongue underwent a startling transformation, turning green and sprouting a hairy coat. The bizarre occurrence was allegedly triggered by the man smoking cigarettes while concurrently taking antibiotics. The details of this rare condition were recently published in the renowned New England Journal of Medicine.

The unidentified 64-year-old patient from Ohio sought medical attention several weeks after noticing a dramatic change in the appearance of his tongue, which had transformed into a tufty emerald organ.

Doctors diagnosed him with a condition known as "hairy tongue," characterized by an abnormal coating of skin cells on the tongue's surface. This happens when the filiform papillae, small conical protrusions that contain taste buds, become enlarged and discoloured due to a buildup of debris and bacteria, New York Post reported.

The appearance of hair-like structures on the tongue is a result of this enlargement, with some strands growing up to an inch if not regularly scraped. These elongated papillae act as traps, collecting various substances such as bacteria, food particles, and yeast, resembling an oral gill net, according to reports from the Daily Mail.

The American Academy of Oral Medicine explains that the colour of hairy tongue can vary, ranging from brown and white to green and pink, depending on the cause and factors like mouthwashes or even candy.

Although poor oral hygiene is a common cause of hairy tongue, the condition, more prevalent in adults over 40 and particularly in men, can be aggravated by smoking. Smoking leads to the accumulation of bacteria and plaque on the tongue, exacerbating the condition. However, the doctors did not disclose how long the Ohio man had been smoking tobacco.

The antibiotic regimen the patient had recently completed for a gum infection, involving the use of clindamycin, could have contributed to the development of his hairy tongue. Taking antibiotics can disrupt the mouth's microbial balance, altering the composition and quantity of bacteria, which may then accumulate on the tongue's surface, as explained by WebMD.

Doctors did not specifically attribute the patient's ailment to smoking, antibiotic use, or a combination of both factors. Fortunately, although this condition can be alarming, it is generally harmless, with the most notable symptom being a burning sensation on the tongue.

Read: Kerala man's tongue turns 'black and hairy' after being put on a pureed diet

The treatment involves gently scrubbing his tongue with a toothbrush four times a day, using a toothbrush or tongue scraper to remove the oral coating. Doctors also strongly advised him to quit smoking.

It can take a few months for the condition to reverse depending on the steps taken by the patient.