When it comes to maintaining oral health, most patients work hard to keep their teeth and gums up to par. Through brushing and flossing, you can effectively combat tooth decay and disease-causing bacteria, however, every patient should be brushing their tongue as well. Otherwise, you could be missing harmful bacteria in your mouth. Brushing your tongue is essential in promoting great oral health, and it’ll go a long way in fighting cavities, plaque, and more.
Simply put, your oral hygiene regimen isn’t complete until you add brushing your tongue to the list of tasks. Between flossing and brushing your teeth & tongue, and regular visits to Quality Dental Care, your teeth and mouth will truly benefit. Take a moment to learn the importance of brushing your tongue.
Importance of Brushing Your Tongue
Just like brushing your teeth and flossing, brushing the tongue works to remove bacteria from its surface. Because your tongue’s surface is full of small crevices, harmful bacteria can easily remain on the service, unless otherwise removed by brushing or scraping. If not removed, the bacteria from your tongue will simply make its way back to your teeth, despite your efforts to remove it by brushing and flossing.
Simply put, the longer you allow bacteria to remain on your tongue, the longer the bacteria have to cause damage, such as creating enamel-destroying plaque. Fortunately, brushing your tongue is quite simple and quick, but there still are ways to better your tongue brushing efforts.
Tips for Efficient Tongue Brushing
As mentioned, brushing your tongue is a simple task, which is all the more reason to do it. However, when brushing your tongue, you’ll want to ensure you’re doing so properly to effectively remove bacteria. For help, check out the list of tips below:
- Try using a tongue scraper (your brush will suffice).
- Be sure to reach as far back as possible (most bacteria resides on the back of the tongue).
- Rinse your brush or scraper between strokes.
- Brush your tongue every time you floss or brush.
- Follow it up with a good rinse.
Don’t Forget Regular Visits to Quality Dental Care
In addition to improving your oral health efforts, removing bacteria by brushing your tongue will banish bad breath, reduce your risk of tooth decay, and can even fight off fungal infections. Do yourself and your mouth a favor and start brushing your tongue today. It’ll surely pay off in the long run. Don’t forget, you should also visit Quality Dental Care twice a year for regular checkups and teeth cleanings.
If you’d like to schedule an appointment with us, contact us here. You can also give us a call at 402.431.8844.