A crucial step in the oral care routine is to brush your tongue, but many people often forgo this step or don’t do a thorough job of cleaning the tongue. How important is it to brush your tongue? Does it play a big role in the health of the rest of your mouth? We will answer these questions and more in this blog post.
Why Is It Important To Brush Your Tongue?
Every human mouth has about 20 billion bacteria at any given time, but not all of these bacteria are good. The bacteria in your mouth and the bacteria that settle in the crevices of your tongue can grow quickly, which is why brushing or scraping your tongue is an important part of oral hygiene. Dental cleanings also focus on removing plaque from the teeth and not cleaning the tongue. This puts the responsibility in your hands.
The “gram-negative” bacteria found in your mouth can lead to bad breath, odd tastes in your mouth, and other oral diseases. Taking care of this bacteria will help you have a healthier mouth and also help it feel more comfortable. Having a sour taste in your mouth or foul-smelling breath is unpleasant for all parties.
Having build-up on your tongue can also cause your taste buds to weaken. This can make your favorite foods less enjoyable or cause you to have a dry mouth. Cleaning bacteria and plaque off your tongue will help you keep your strong sense of taste. Brush your tongue to avoid discomfort and future oral problems as you age.
Steps For Properly Brushing Your Tongue
Now you know the importance of clean teeth and a clean tongue, but how do you ensure you are properly cleaning all the bad bacteria out of your mouth? Just like brushing your teeth, when you brush your tongue, there are some tips to ensure you are going to have a healthy mouth.
When brushing the tongue, start at the back of the tongue and slowly worth your way forward. You should use slight pressure in back-and-forth motions, similar to motions made to brush your teeth. Use only a pea-sized amount of toothpaste and you can follow up after brushing with a mouth rinse.
Other Oral Hygiene Practices To Clean Your Tongue
Some may find that brushing their tongue doesn’t free them of bacteria or discoloration on their tongue. Using a tongue scraper can help remove bacteria and give you a fresher feeling.
In order to clean your tongue with a scraper, place it at the back of your tongue and pull the scraper forward. Use the tool at multiple angles in order to work that bacteria out of the crevices. You can remove loose materials or food particles from your mouth after scrapping by just rinsing with water.
If you do use a tongue scrapper, make sure to clean it thoroughly after each use. This will ensure you don’t continue to put bacteria into your mouth and defeat the purpose of cleaning your tongue. Cleaning your tongue scraper will help you avoid more bacteria growth and bad breath.
Are There Negatives To Brushing Your Tongue?
Some recent research has shown the effects brushing and scraping can have on the mouth’s microbiome. It can reduce the nitric oxide production in the mouth which is a nutrient that helps the heart and circulatory system.
While the research is still developing, you should continue to consult with your dentist about what the best practice is for you. Some people benefit more from mouthwash or just routine brushing, while others will need tongue scrapping in addition to brushing their teeth and tongue twice a day.
Proper Oral Health From Sunset Dental
Brushing your tongue or scraping your tongue is an important part of your oral care. Dental cleanings and fillings also need to be completed in order for you to keep your stunning smile into your older age. Sunset Dental offers multiple general dental services and cosmetic dentistry options to help everyone feel confident in their smile.
We provide a state-of-the-art facility and quality services for those around the Sunset, UT area. You can always contact our office by phone or email to schedule an appointment or ask any questions before your appointment. We appreciate every person who chooses to support our office or recommends us to others. Sunset Dental could not do this without all of you.