Brushing Your Tongue

Many Americans are excellent with brushing their teeth daily. Those with an increased awareness of their dental health consume foods and beverages great for dental health and avoid things that ruin teeth. Some even make a point to floss their teeth every day. However, many people overlook one very important thing in their daily dental routine: brushing your tongue! The strongest muscle in the body, the tongue serves as an important component of your mouth and dental health. It is therefore essential to keep your tongue clean, just as you do to your teeth and gums.

Bad breath 

What is the point in brushing your tongue, exactly? To put one of the answers briefly: halitosis. Halitosis is simply bad breath. While it may not be obvious, bad breath can affect your life, your relationships, and how you interact with others in general. Nobody enjoys speaking to someone with bad breath. Conversely, breath that smells sweet or minty is often seen as attractive. The bacteria that cause halitosis tend to gather at the base of tongue. Therefore, it is essential to keep your tongue clean if you wish to avoid bad breath.

Dental Health

Besides halitosis, the buildup of bacteria on the tongue can cause other issues regarding your dental health. For example, the bacteria contributes to the development and growth of plaque, which can lead to tooth decay and gum infections. As a side note, some of the bacteria and toxins come from inside your body; by allowing them to proliferate, you run the risk of the body reabsorbing them. So not only is brushing your tongue beneficial to your dental health, it also improves your overall health and immunity system.

How to brush your tongue

How exactly do you brush your tongue? Many assume that scrubbing their tongue with their toothbrush will do the trick. While this is certainly better than not cleaning the tongue at all, it is actually not the most efficient method. Most health stores carry a tongue scraper, a tool specifically designed for scraping the surface of the tongue. Cleaning is as simple as placing the scraper at the base of your tongue and gently drawing it forward. Scrapers are generally inexpensive, but if you do not wish to spend money, a spoon turned upside down serves a great alternative.

Keep your tongue clean! For more information on how you can improve your dental health, contact Greenspoint Dental today.