When we think of dental hygiene, we usually only think of brushing, flossing, and the occasional mouthwash. But did you know that brushing your tongue is just as important as having a healthy mouth? That’s why you should include brushing your tongue in your daily routine and some effective ways to do it.
Why You Should Brush Your Tongue?
You may have noticed that your tongue is full of small bumps and pits. Like your teeth, these grooves are the perfect place for bacteria to collect. When bacteria build up in these grooves here, they’re transferred to your teeth through basic movements from eating or talking.
The result of this bacteria can be cavities, gingivitis and bad breath. In fact, not brushing your tongue is one of the main causes of bad breath. By brushing or scraping your tongue, you rid yourself of these bacteria and their potential for harming your teeth and general dental hygiene.
Benefits of Brushing Your Tongue
Brushing your tongue with a toothbrush or scraping with a suitable tongue scraper can improve your dental hygiene in several ways.
.Taste Sense
Scratching your tongue twice a day can actually improve your sense of taste. All this buildup of bacteria prevents your taste buds from distinguishing flavors. Making sure the bacteria is removed leaves room for the flavor to affect your buds effectively.
. Bad Breath
Brushing your tongue destroys all the bacteria in your mouth that causes bad breath. This can also improve your social skills, as most people try to avoid talking to those with bad breath.
.Dental Caries
Bacteria on your tongue also cause tooth decay. This is because it passes easily from tongue to tooth when talking or eating. If you have cavities, scraping your tongue might be just what you need.
.Physical Appereance
Another benefit of brushing your tongue is that it improves its appearance. When there is a buildup of bacteria on our tongue, it can cause our tongue to appear white. This is quite worrying for some. Brushing your tongue will help restore the correct, natural color of your tongue.
How to Brush Your Tongue?
There are many ways to clean your tongue, but few of them are the most effective. Perhaps the most effective way is to use a special tongue scraper or the back of a toothbrush with a built-in exfoliating pad. With either tool, you’ll want to stick your tongue out of your mouth first and start from the back. If this is causing you to gag, you may want to start with the middle of your tongue until you get used to the sensation.
Never use the scraper from the tip of your tongue to the back. This just pushes the bacteria into your mouth. After each scraping, you’ll want to wipe off any coating or buildup with a rag or rinse in the sink before continuing. If you skip this step, you risk getting the bacteria back into your mouth. After scraping your entire tongue, wash the scraper with warm water and soap.
Brushing your tongue is an important part of your dental hygiene. You can contact us to learn more about how you can improve your oral hygiene at home or arrange a routine dental check-up.
