{"id":888,"date":"2018-04-25T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2018-04-25T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mydentalpracticeblog.com\/\/hudsonhighlandsdentistry\/dental-care-blog\/dont-forget-clean-tongue\/"},"modified":"2018-04-25T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2018-04-25T00:00:00","slug":"dont-forget-clean-tongue","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mydentalpracticeblog.com\/hudsonhighlandsdentistry\/dental-care-blog\/dont-forget-clean-tongue\/","title":{"rendered":"Don\u2019t Forget To Clean That Tongue!"},"content":{"rendered":"<\/p>\n

\"\" YOU HEAR ALL THE TIME <\/strong>about the importance of brushing your teeth for two minutes twice a day, and you hear almost as often about the importance of daily flossing. What you probably don\u2019t hear a lot is that, if we want to maintain good oral health and hygiene, it\u2019s also important for us to clean our tongues. <\/p>\n

Why Should We Clean Our Tongues?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The tongue is one of the most bacteria-covered spots in our bodies. A tongue doesn\u2019t just have taste buds<\/a>\u00a0on it, it also has crevices, elevations, and all sorts of tiny structures that bacteria will hide between unless physically removed. Letting all this bacteria sit and multiply can cause bad breath or halitosis, as well as tooth decay<\/strong> on the inner surfaces of the teeth. This is why it\u2019s so important to regularly clean our tongues \u2014 so we can get rid of all the unwanted bacterial buildup! Another benefit to removing the bacteria from our tongues is that it clears the way for our tastebuds to do their jobs. A bacteria-free tongue can taste food much more effectively<\/strong>, and it makes the first stage of the digestive process more effective too, which means\u00a0improving our digestive health<\/a>! <\/p>\n

The Right Tools For Tongue-Cleaning<\/strong><\/h3>\n

You might think mouthwash or rinsing with water is enough to clean your tongue, but that bacteria is stubborn, and simply swishing liquid in your mouth won\u2019t clean out all those crevices on the tongue\u2019s surface. If you really want to clean out that biofilm of bacteria, the key is to scrape it<\/strong>, preferably with a tongue-scraper. You can find these at the store near the toothbrushes, and you should use one every time you brush your teeth. A toothbrush can do a decent job of cleaning your tongue if you don\u2019t have a special tongue-scraper, and some toothbrushes even have bumps for tongue-scrubbing built in.\u00a0After you brush your teeth but before you rinse and spit, take that brush or scraper to your tongue.\u00a0Start at the back<\/a> and work your way forward, and make sure to get as much of the surface as you can. It\u2019s quick and easy and will make a major difference!