Yes, You Need To Brush Your Tongue

The answer will always remain: Yes, you need to brush your tongue. Brushing your tongue is an essential part of your dental hygiene. Rest assured, we understand that you might not fully understand why this is so important – or how you should go about brushing this oral organ – which is why we are prepared to provide you with a full rundown of helpful details. Ready? Here we go!

The “Why”

Why do you need to incorporate the cleansing of your tongue into your dental hygiene sessions? Well, it’s because, like your teeth and the area beneath your gumline, your tongue harbors the stuff that can lead to oral health problems. Namely bad bacteria responsible for hygiene-related concerns and food particles become trapped on your tongue’s surface, which can contribute to or lead to the following:

• Halitosis (bad breath)
• Tooth decay
• Gum problems

The “How”

You actually have some options when it comes to how you will clean your tongue. The easiest option is simply to add brushing your tongue to your dental hygiene routine. Brush your teeth and also brush your tongue by delicately sweeping the brush from back to front. This will help dislodge the bacteria and debris. However, some patients complain that they are not too thrilled with the way this feels. If you can relate, it will benefit you to purchase a tongue cleaner (also called a tongue scraper) from your area drugstore. This smooth device will quickly and effectively remove buildup from your tongue without the feel of brush bristles.