You know that it’s important to brush and floss every day, but what do you know about brushing your tongue? In fact, should you consider brushing your tongue? What are the benefits? Do you just use your toothbrush? If you’re interested in answers questions like these, please read on.

If you haven’t been brushing your tongue, we have good news for you: your teeth won’t be in danger if you choose not to clean your tongue. However, tongue brushing can offer you quite a few benefits. Your tongue will naturally clean itself as it moves against food and is covered in saliva. Similarly, the bacteria on your tongue can spread to your teeth. However, it takes twenty-four hours for plaque to form, so as long as you brush every day, your smile should be safe. However, because your tongue does house bacteria, it can lead to bad breath. Therefore, if you struggle with bad breath, brushing your tongue could help. Similarly, it could be good to brush your tongue if you eat foods that cling to your tongue or leave an unpleasant aftertaste, such as garlic, onions, and salmon.

Fortunately, brushing your tongue is as simple as it seems. You can use your brush to gently remove plaque from your tongue, but some people find that brushing with a toothbrush causes gagging. If you have this problem, a tongue scraper could be all you need. These useful tools come in a variety of shapes and materials designed to meet your specific needs.

If you would like to learn more about what you can do to keep your mouth clean, or are worried about persistent bad breath, please don’t hesitate to call us at 208-350-6795. Dr. Fethke, Dr. Kooyman, Dr. Larson, and our team at High Desert Dental look forward to hearing from you.