A 30-year-old woman comes to your office for a dental examination. She has not been to the dentist in 2 years. The patient has type I diabetes, which requires her to take insulin. She is otherwise in good health. On intraoral examination, you notice that the dorsum of her tongue has a thick, matted appearance and diagnose her with hairy tongue. Which type of papillae is affected that causes the hairlike appearance of her tongue?
Filiform papillae
Thin, pointy projections that comprise the most numerous papillae and give the tongue's dorsal surface its characteristic rough texture. Arrangement: in rows parallel with the sulcus terminalis. Histologically show more keratinization than the other papillae.
Do not contain taste buds.
Note: an overgrowth of these papillae results in hairy tongue. A loss of filiform papillae results in glossitis
Foliate
Circumvallate
Fungiform
Filiform