Smoking And Drinking Coffee Can Give You "Hairy Tongue"...Seriously

<div><p>If you notice something gross on your tongue when you brush your teeth, or always feel a tickle at the back of your mouth, it may not just be your imagination.</p><p>Dentists and oral health experts say as much as 13% of people may have the disgusting condition known as "hairy tongue," and some common foods can make your chance of developing it much worse.</p><p>It turns out your tongue is covered with tiny cone-shaped growths made of keratin, the same stuff as your hair. These can grow up to 15 times their normal size, and the result is pretty disgusting.</p><div><figure><amp-img src="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/BxcTsmfIIAAxZAJ.jpg" srcset="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/BxcTsmfIIAAxZAJ_GH_content_550px.jpg 550w" sizes="89vw" title="" alt="" height="9" width="16" layout="responsive"></amp-img><figcaption class="op-vertical-center"><cite>Twitter</cite></figcaption></figure></div><p><!-- [invalid-shortcode] --></p><p></p><p>The older you get, the more likely you are to develop hairy tongue, and men are more likely than women.</p><p>There's no cause, it just happens for some people, but experts say things like <strong><a href="https://www.shared.com/mans-head-in-coffee-beans/" target="_blank">coffee</a>, tea, smoking and bad hygiene</strong> can make your condition worse.</p><p>Food can even get caught in the "hairs," giving you bad breath. Thankfully, there are no serious health risks from this condition and it's very easy to treat.</p><div><figure><amp-img src="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/BlackHairyTongue_1.jpg" srcset="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/BlackHairyTongue_1_GH_content_550px.jpg 550w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/BlackHairyTongue_1_GH_content_650px.jpg 650w" sizes="89vw" title="" alt="" height="9" width="16" layout="responsive"></amp-img><figcaption class="op-vertical-center"><cite>Dr. Oz</cite></figcaption></figure></div><p><!-- [invalid-shortcode] --></p><p></p><p>If you notice any hairs developing on your tongue, a daily scrape with your toothbrush or tongue scrubber will keep them at bay.</p><p>If you're not seeing results, visit your dentist and they can remove them for you. But remember: the best way to keep your mouth hairless is to brush and use mouthwash often.</p><p><strong>Share this warning with someone who loves coffee!</strong></p></div>