When you wake up in the morning or before you retire for the night, do you brush your tongue alongside your teeth? You should brush and floss your teeth twice a day. However, you should also brush your tongue twice a day as well. It is important to brush your teeth and tongue to remove all of the bacteria and germs that build up in your mouth. Unfortunately, overgrown bacteria can contribute to causing bad breath (halitosis). Individuals often neglect to brush their tongues as they do not realize the mouth is a breeding ground for bacteria. It is pertinent to note that not all of the bacteria on your tongue are bad for your mouth. However, some bacteria are harmful and can cause serious dental problems. To ensure you are properly brushing your tongue, schedule an appointment with our trusted general dentistry dentists located in Basking Ridge & Morristown, NJ. In addition, please continue reading to learn about the many benefits of brushing your tongue every day.
How to properly brush your tongue?
When it comes to brushing your tongue, you can either use your toothbrush or a dental tool known as a tongue scraper. Tongue scrapers can be found at your local drugstore. Those that choose to use a tongue scraper rather than their toothbrush will take the scraper to the back of their tongue and gently pull it forward to the front of the tongue. This will effectively remove any built-up bacteria and biofilm. If you’d rather simply use your toothbrush to clean your tongue that is a perfectly acceptable method as well. However, you must be extremely gentle when brushing to ensure you do not break the skin. If you brush your tongue with a toothbrush you should start by rinsing your toothbrush under warm water, especially if you have just finished brushing your teeth. Similar to the tongue scraper method, you should start brushing from the back of your tongue and work your way forward. After you’ve finished gently brushing your tongue, you should rinse your mouth. Regardless of the method you choose to clean your tongue, you should always be gentle. If you are not confident that you are brushing your tongue properly, our skilled dentists can show you how to safely and properly brush your tongue.
What are the benefits?
There are several benefits to brushing your tongue. Firstly, brushing your tongue can help you prevent various dental problems such as gum disease. Unfortunately, when bacteria are not cleaned off the tongue, they can multiply which can cause gum disease. Another benefit of brushing your tongue is that it will help you avoid halitosis. If bacteria is not cleaned from the tongue, it will cause a foul smell to arise from your mouth. In addition, brushing your tongue every day can help you avoid biofilm. Biofilm is essentially a group of microorganisms that stick together and build up on the surface of your tongue. If you do not clean your tongue, biofilm can build up and negatively affect your taste buds. Along with these benefits, there are numerous benefits to brushing your tongue twice a day.
If you care about your oral health, it is imperative to schedule a visit with one of our experienced and trusted dentists. Our team of qualified dentists can help ensure you are using the correct methods to gently and properly brush your tongue.
