When you wake up in the morning and prepare to go to bed at the end of the night, you likely brush your teeth, floss between gaps, and rinse with mouthwash to ensure you have good oral health. But, you may be overlooking your tongue. As a crucial player in our oral hygiene, it is often left in the shadows. However, when you clean your tongue, you can make a substantial difference in your oral health.
At Hendersonville Family Dental, our team wants you to understand the many benefits you’ll experience if you clean your tongue. If you want to ensure you have the best oral health, keep reading to learn how to clean your tongue.
Why Should You Clean Your Tongue?
Your tongue harbors an ecosystem of bacteria, food particles, and dead cells that can become a breeding ground for oral health problems. Brushing your tongue is an integral part of your daily oral hygiene routine, and there are many benefits you’ll experience if you perform this regularly.
1. Fresher Breath
The surface of your tongue is covered in tiny crevices and taste buds. These grooves create a perfect environment for food particles, bacteria, and more to make themselves at home on your tongue. As this bacteria multiplies, it can lead to an unpleasant odor. However, as you brush your tongue, you remove this debris and increase saliva flow, which can lead to much fresher breath.
2. Enhanced Taste
When you have debris on your tongue, it can significantly impact the way foods taste. This debris clogs your taste buds, making it more difficult for them to come in contact with the food you’re consuming. If you clean your tongue properly, you remove this debris from your tongue and allow your taste buds to come in contact with food. Make sure to clean your tongue, and you may notice your favorite foods taste even better than normal.
3. Improved Digestion
Good oral health is often associated with good digestion. However, if you aren’t taking care to clean your tongue, you might not have the best oral health. By brushing your tongue regularly, you improve your saliva flow, reduce the risk of infection, and prevent the spread of bacteria across your teeth and gums, which greatly improves your oral health. If you clean your tongue, you may notice your digestion improve in addition to your oral health and hygiene.
4. Reduced Risk Of Gum Disease
If you have a great deal of bacteria in your mouth, you may notice gum disease spreading more rapidly. With advanced gum disease, you may notice inflammation, tooth decay, or loss. If you clean your tongue, you remove excess bacteria from your mouth that is responsible for the spread of gum disease. Keep your tongue clean if you want to protect yourself from tooth loss and discomfort.
How Do You Properly Clean Your Tongue?
There are several tools you can utilize to properly clean your tongue, some of which you may already have in your medicine cabinet. If you want to clean your tongue, consider using these tools to ensure you have the best oral health:
- Toothbrush: One of the easiest ways to clean your tongue is by using your toothbrush. While it certainly isn’t the most effective tool, it is a beneficial tool if you don’t have access to others. To keep your tongue clean using your toothbrush, choose a soft-bristled brush. Position your toothbrush at the back of your tongue and brush forward and backward for 15 to 30 seconds. Then rinse with warm water.
- Oral Rinses: An oral rinse product like a mouthwash is an easy way to ensure your tongue, as well as other parts of your mouth, are adequately clean. To properly brush your tongue, ensure you use a mouthwash with fluoride to guarantee antibacterial protection. When using a mouthwash, rinse for 30 to 60 seconds.
- Tongue Scraper: A tongue scraper is the most effective way to clean your tongue. However, it is important that you know how to use it properly. Use a U- or V-shaped scraper positioned near the back of your tongue, and apply light pressure as you drag it toward the front of your mouth. Repeat this two to five times and rinse with warm water.
Quality Service You Can Trust From Hendersonville Family Dental
If you have been cleaning your tongue, but you still find yourself struggling with bad breath or gum disease, it may be best to consult a dentist at your scheduled dental cleaning. However, with so many dentists in Hendersonville, NC, you might not know where to turn. At Hendersonville Family Dental, our team of dentists and hygienists have years of experience, and we’re confident that they can provide you with the best dental care in the area.
If you would like to schedule a dental appointment with our Hendersonville Family Dental team, reach out to us today.