Your Tongue Can Work Against Your Dental Health

Dentist Blog

Your dentist and their assistants have told you often about the importance of regular brushing and flossing. But did you know that your tongue is a source of bacteria that can cause plaque, tartar and tooth decay? Until you add your tongue to your daily dental hygiene routine, your dental care is not complete. Here is why you need to include your tongue to get the most from your dental care.

A Hiding Place for Bacteria

Your tongue is covered with a number of small bumps which increase the surface area and roughness of your tongue. They make it easier for the tongue to move food around in your mouth. These bumps also create places where food particles and bacteria can hide. Even after brushing and flossing, bacteria from your tongue can make their way back onto your tooth enamel to cause problems.

Cleaning Your Tongue Is the Final Touch

Brushing, flossing and cleaning your tongue are the ways to make sure that you're doing the best job with your dental hygiene. It will only take a few seconds to clean your tongue, but you'll get rid of another source of tooth decay and gum disease. There are two easy ways to clean your tongue. Try them both and decide on the one that works best for you.

• Brush Your Tongue - After you brush your teeth, run the brush over your tongue a few times. Get as far back on your tongue as you can and on both sides. You don't need to do the bottom of your tongue, as it is slick and saliva constantly washes off that surface. This sounds simple enough, but many people have an issue with their gag reflex kicking in. Brushing the tongue may be uncomfortable and impossible to do for even a few seconds.
• Scrape Your Tongue - This technique uses a special tool with a flat surface to scrape material off of your tongue. You can find tongue scrapers at the drug store, and your dentist can recommend their favorites. To use the scraper, you'll place it on the back of your tongue and pull forward, scraping food particles, bacteria and saliva off of the tongue. Rinse your mouth out and repeat the process several times. Get as much of the sides of your tongue as you can. Move the scraper slowly so as not to trigger a gag reflex.

If your tongue has a white or brown coating on it, don't try to scrape that off. The coloration might be due to smoking or dairy products and will wear off over time.

Once you've added tongue cleaning to your daily dental hygiene, you'll be even more protected from tooth decay and gum disease. For more tips on improving your dental care, you may want to contact a local dentist like Dr. Jon Douglas Lesan, DDS, RpH, PA. 

5 August 2015