Are we the only dentist in Savannah, GA recommending you brush your tongue? Probably not. However, we’ll go ahead and give you the steps again because there are many advantages to brushing your tongue.
1. Helps reduce and prevent bad breath.
2. Chases away bacteria that can cause tooth decay
The right way? Always brush your tongue from back to front. You can even put some toothpaste or mouthwash on your toothbrush. This recommendation is good for proper general dentistry and children’s dentistry care. We want to give you simple tips and techniques to keep your smile bright and your breath fresh.
The tip of your tongue is usually self cleaning due to all the movement and friction with swallowing and speaking. This portion of the tongue also comes in contact with the hard palate or roof of your mouth. This friction creates a cleaning action that keeps away build up of bacteria and debris.
The back of the tongue only touches the soft palate and the contact if fairly gentle. There’s not enough friction to keep the bacteria away and build up occurs. This build up of bacteria can cause bad breath and tooth decay.
How can you tell if you have bacteria build up? Stick out your tongue. Do you see a white or brownish film or coating on the back? It usually forms a triangular shape. You’ll need to start as far back as you can. Watch out for your gag reflex… Don’t choke. If you make it a practice to brush or scrape your tongue once a day, the gag reflex will diminish.
Don’t brush or scrape too hard and rinse your mouth when you are done. If you are going to use mouthwash on your brush, look for ones that contain antibacterials chlorine dioxide or cetylpyridinium chloride.
Have fun getting fresher breath!
Savannah Dental Solutions
Drs. Chad and Alexandra Schnabel
9A Medical Arts Center
Savannah, GA 31405
Phone: (912) 354-1366
Website: SavannahDentalSolutions.com
