What is Black Hairy Tongue in Oral Medicine?

A benign, temporary condition in which the filiform papillae of the tongue dorsum undergo elongation and pigmentation to a brown-black color, typically associated with antibiotic use, smoking, or poor oral hygiene.

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Oral Medicine Glossary

102 terms total — 1 showing — Last updated 26 Oct 2026

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Median Rhomboid Glossitis

Intermediate Technical IVT

A well-demarcated, rhomboidal area of papilla-free erythema located on the dorsal midline of the tongue anterior to the circumvallate papillae, currently attributed to chronic atrophic candidosis.

26 Oct 2026

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Black Hairy Tongue

Basic Technical IVT

A benign, temporary condition in which the filiform papillae of the tongue dorsum undergo elongation and pigmentation to...

lingua nigra villosa hairy tongue

Technical Term Full entry →

Glossary terms, with category, difficulty and definition
Term	Category	Difficulty	Definition
Black Hairy Tongue IVT	Technical Term	Basic	A benign, temporary condition in which the filiform papillae of the tongue dorsu...

Glossary Stats

Total terms 102

IVT eligible 98

Verified 0

basic 10

intermediate 51

advanced 36

professional 5