If you brush your teeth twice a day and floss frequently, then you may think you are covered against tooth decay, cavities, and other dental issues. However, if your routine doesn’t include cleaning your tongue regularly, then your oral care needs an upgrade. Your dentist shares six reasons why cleaning your tongue is a crucial part of preventive dentistry and how to do it properly.
6 Reasons to Clean Your Tongue
Tongues take up a lot of real estate in your mouth and play a vital role in eating and speaking. While many focus their entire dental hygiene routine on their teeth, it is important that the tongue is not neglected in the process. In fact, cleaning your tongue can:
- Remove tartar that builds up.
- Dislodge bacteria, dead skin cells, and food particles.
- Prevent bad breath.
- Stop a white, filmy layer from forming.
- Prevent bacteria from spreading to your teeth and gums.
- Fight against dental issues like gum disease, halitosis, tooth decay, and cavities.
Best Practices to Clean Your Tongue Properly
If cleaning your tongue is a new part of your dental hygiene routine, then it is important to practice good techniques from the beginning to build good habits. The first thing you will need is either a toothbrush or a tongue scraper. Both are extremely effective and can help prevent bad breath, bacteria build-up, and other dental headaches. Regardless of which tool you decide to use, there are a few best practices you should follow:
- Always work from the back to the front – To protect yourself from swallowing the bacteria, scrape or brush your tongue starting at the back and working your way forward.
- Rinse and repeat – If the bacteria on your tongue are given the opportunity to build-up, then it may take a few rounds of brushing and scraping to remove it. Just make sure to rinse your brush or scraper thoroughly between each cleaning.
- Always be gentle – Many patients find themselves overcompensating for infrequent cleanings with an aggressive approach. However, it is important to use a gentle hand so that you don’t damage your tongue in the process.
If you are looking to improve your dental hygiene routine, cleaning your tongue twice a day is a great place to start. In addition to removing the hundreds of potentially dangerous bacteria that live on your tongue, you may also experience newfound confidence thanks to always having fresh breath.
About the Author
After receiving his Doctor of Dental Medicine from the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, Dr. Arakelian decided to follow in his father’s footsteps by providing state-of-the-art care at his original practice. Today, Dr. Arakelian uses his nearly three decades of experience to help his patients by providing preventive, general, family, and cosmetic dentistry. If you have any questions about how you can practice proper oral care, don’t hesitate to visit his website or give him a call at 978-373-0901.
