The Yellow Tongue : New Case

¹Department of Dermatology, Hassan Ii Hospital University , Fez, Morocco

²Department of ENT, Maxillo-Facial , Reconstructive and Plastic Surgery, Hassan Ii Hospital University , Fez, Morocco

Corresponding Author:

Mounia Bennani
Department of Dermatology
Hassan Ii Hospital University
Fez, Morocco
E-mail: mouniaabennani24@gmail.com

Abstract

Keywords

hairy tongue ■ electronic cigarette ■ yellowish tongue

A 25 y old man, with no pathological antecedents, who presented in dermatology consultation for a coloring of his tongue becoming yellowish, the patient was asymptomatic, the clinical examination had objectified a yellowish tongue, hairy in the center and soft, without other associated signs, the other mucous membranes were completely normal and the rest of the examination was also without particularity. The interrogation found a notion of use of electronic cigarette.

A hairy tongue is a common benign clinical condition caused by the proliferation of papillae following the accumulation of layers of keratin giving thickening and elongation of the taste buds. The latter thus pass from a length of 1 mm to 12 to 18 mm, which gives them a hairy appearance eventually cause discoloration that can vary from black to brown through yellow (FIGURE 1).

Contributing factors are smoking, excessive consumption of coffee, alcohol, poor oral hygiene, hyposalivation, a soft diet and the use of certain antibiotics such as tetracyclines, or when using too often mouthwashes containing peroxide. The treatment consists in correcting the contributing factors.

In our case, because of the lack of any notion of smoking, the electronic cigarette was incriminated, and its judgment was recommended associated with the improvement of the oral hygiene, which allowed a complete recovery.

Figure 1. Yellow hairy tongue.