Question: After I brush my teeth, I feel a numbness on my tongue. What is causing this?
There are a few different reasons you could be experiencing a numb tongue after brushing, and they mostly have to do with the type of toothpaste you are using. Some toothpaste flavors may be too intense for certain palates, so that “glacial frost” or “extreme strawberry” flavor toothpaste might be irritating to your taste buds.
Additionally, toothpastes with higher levels of sodium laurel (or laureth) sulfate in them, which is used to prolong shelf life of the toothpaste, can irritate some users mouths more severely than others.
Switching toothpastes might also cause this effect. Your tongue gets used to one set of ingredients after using one toothpaste for an extended period of time, and then has to adjust to a new set of slightly different ingredients when you make the switch.
If you are brushing your tongue when you brush your teeth, the effects of the numbness may be enhanced as you are applying the toothpaste directly to the tongue.
Our advice is to try out a few different toothpastes to find the one that is right for you, and your tongue! Have you experienced tongue numbness after brushing? Which toothpastes cause this to happen for you? Let us and our readers know in the comments section below!
If you have more questions about tongue numbness after brushing, contact the professionals at DentaLux today!
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