The syndrome may affect people with poor oral hygiene or those whose diet is made up primarily of soft foods. Black Hairy Tongue can also be caused by antibiotics, which disrupt the mouth’s healthy bacteria. Coffee, tea, and smoking can aggravate it. One home remedy involves sucking on fresh pineapple slices. The acid may help, but a healthy diet with foods such as cereal and raw veggies should clear up the problem in a few weeks. And scrub your tongue with a toothbrush or tongue scraper twice daily, says Lynch. More from Prevention: 6 Tooth Whitening Mistakes You’re Making
