Benefits of Brushing Your Tongue

Though brushing and flossing your teeth have long been the key to avoiding dental issues like tooth decay and gum disease, these actually aren’t the only ways to maintain your oral health. Of course, routine dental checkups and avoiding harmful foods are effective preventative measures, but you should also add brushing your tongue to the list.

Not only will brushing your tongue help prevent tooth decay and gum disease, it’ll also kill bad breath, as your tongue is often to blame for such. Take a look with Cyprus Family Dental at the importance of tongue brushing and the best way to do so.  

When You Need to Brush Your Tongue

There’s no denying the importance of brushing your teeth and flossing. In fact, you should do both twice a day to prevent dental issues. Brushing works to remove bacteria and plaque from the surfaces of your teeth while flossing expels the same from the gaps between your teeth, as well as your gums. However, if you’re not targeting the bacteria that resides on your tongue, your brushing and flossing efforts won’t be as effective.

Take a look at your tongue in the mirror. You’ll notice it doesn’t have a smooth surface. The crevices and small bumps throughout provide the perfect place for bacteria to remain, regardless of brushing, flossing, and even rinsing! Not only will these bacteria promote bad breath, it could also lead to tooth decay. In other words, you can remove bacteria from your teeth, but if you forget your tongue, the bacteria will eventually make its way back to your teeth and gums.

Clearly, brushing your tongue is absolutely necessary in removing harmful bacteria from your mouth. So, how can you brush your tongue effectively?

Brushing Your Tongue For Optimal Cleaning

You may think removing the bacteria from your tongue is as simple as giving it a couple scrubs while brushing your teeth, but you’ll need to give it a little more effort. As mentioned, the surface of your tongue is not an even surface. You’ll need to really get in there to expel bacteria from small crevices. For best results, consider the tips below:

  • Find a toothbrush with a built-in scraper on the back.
  • Apply a small amount of toothpaste to your brush and start scrubbing from the back of the tongue forward.
  • Use a tongue scraper for a more thorough clean. When doing so, be sure to rinse the scraper off in between strokes.
  • Always rinse your mouth after brushing your tongue.
  • Brush your tongue every morning and night. To make things simple, brush your tongue after brushing your teeth each time.

Don’t Forget Checkups and Dental Cleanings

Brushing your tongue is not only an effective and preventative task, it’s also very simple. It’s an easy way to improve your oral health habits and keep your teeth free of cavities. Follow the tips above for best results and don’t forget to visit Cyprus Family Dental in Magna for routine checkups and teeth cleanings twice a year.

If you’d like to schedule an appointment, you can give us a call at 801.250.0203. You can also contact us here.