A lot of people know that making sure that your teeth clean is vital to ensure your oral health is in great shape. Most people also know that not cleaning your teeth and gums could lead to tooth decay and gum disease. As a matter of fact, dentists in Surrey will recommend arranging an appointment with your dentist twice a year to have your pearly whites cleaned more thoroughly.
Still, have you ever wondered if cleaning your tongue is also that important?
Why do I need to clean my tongue?
Same as with the bacteria that will build up in between your teeth if you don’t clean them, bacteria could also build up in your tongue if you don’t clean it. Your tongue is covered with papillae which are small bumps and in between the grooves of these papillae are where bacteria, food particles and dead skin cells build up. This buildup of bacteria and other particles can lead to bad breath and white discolouration of your tongue. Aside from that, bacteria from the tongue can go in between teeth can increase the chances of plaque and tartar accumulation.
Still, there are a lot of advantages we can get from cleaning out tongue. Cleaning your tongue could help freshen your breath, however, some people have problems brushing and cleaning their tongue as it can trigger the gag reflex.
Cleaning your tongue is very easy. It’s important to remember that every time you brush your teeth, you must also brush your tongue. In cleaning your tongue, you can use your toothbrush or a tongue scraper. If you’re using your toothbrush, gently move your tongue and rinse afterwards with water. there at brushes that has a tongue cleaner at the back of the head, so if your toothbrush has one, feel free to use it. Tongue scrapers are much better at cleaning your tongue. To use a tongue scraper, just swipe gently along the tongue and rinse with water after every swipe. Remember to be gentle every time you clean your tongue. If you feel sore or if it starts bleeding, you are exerting too much force.
Cleaning your tongue must be done at least twice a day, once in the morning and in the evening, but cleaning it more than twice a day won’t hurt as long as you do it gently.
Contact Elgin Corners Dental if you are in the Surrey BC area on Vancouver.
