Black Tongue Discoloration

JAMA. 2023 Jun 6;329(21):1875-1876. doi: 10.1001/jama.2023.5894.
No abstract available

Plain language summary

An 80-year-old man developed asymptomatic black discoloration of the dorsal surface of his tongue 1 week after hospitalization for surgical and antibiotic treatment of septic arthritis of the shoulder. He reported no prior lingual discoloration and did not smoke cigarettes, use chewing tobacco or illicit drugs, or drink alcohol. What is the diagnosis and what would you do next?

MeSH terms

  • Humans
  • Tongue
  • Tongue, Hairy* / diagnosis
  • Tongue, Hairy* / etiology
  • Tongue, Hairy* / therapy

Supplementary concepts

  • Black hairy tongue