We know you’re used to your dentist talking about how to take care of your teeth and your gums, but what about your tongue? That’s right, your tongue shouldn’t be neglected when we’re talking about your overall dental health. After all, your tongue is what allows you to taste food, and what could be causing bad breath.
Pardon us for grossing you out, but right this second there is a large amount of living and rotting organisms on your tongue. Debris from food and drink particles doesn’t just make its way into the nooks and crannies of your teeth, but it can also linger on your tongue. Deep crevices in the tongue are great places for debris to hide, and these leftover particles can account for 80% of bad breath (the other 20% is divided between the rest of the mouth and other issues such as periodontal disease and gastrointestinal problems).
So what can you do to rid your tongue of debris and potentially harmful organisms? The answer is simple. Clean your tongue regularly!
Using a toothbrush or a tongue scraper, simply clean your tongue gently throughout the week, and especially if you notice any slight discoloration of the tongue. Most times, the tongue will turn white when there is an abnormal amount of debris or organisms collected in the deep crevices of the tongue. You don’t need to press hard or scrap abrasively, just hard enough to remove debris. There are many inexpensive and effective tongue cleaners on the market that will easily and painlessly remove debris from the tongue with just one simple scrape.
Keeping your tongue clean is not only a great way to make sure you are cleaning away any debris and freshening your breath, it can also expose your taste buds and increase taste! If you have any questions about cleaning your tongue, or how your tongue affects the rest of your oral and dental health, contact a DentaLux dental care professional today!
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