Bad Breath? Try Brushing Your Tongue
That foul mouth odor you’ve noticed lately can be embarrassing, and it might be a cause for concern. Your family dental provider in Blue Ash and Cincinnati will never get tired of reminding you to brush your teeth regularly. But what else can you do to improve your breath and maintain your oral health?
Have you considered brushing your tongue? At Beckham Square Family Dental, we often tell our patients that good dental hygiene involves more than just caring for your teeth. Your tongue plays an important role in your oral health because it can harbor bacteria that contribute to bad breath and other problems.
Usually an afterthought at best, tongue brushing is a quick habit that can help freshen your breath and improve your overall oral health. Here’s why brushing your tongue needs to be part of your dental hygiene routine.
Why You Shouldn’t Ignore Your Tongue When You Brush
Your tongue is filled with bacteria that take up residence between papillae, the tiny bumps on the tongue’s surface. The crevices between the papillae are small pockets that collect bacteria, dead skin cells, and food particles. Bacteria on the tongue can redeposit onto your teeth and gums, leading to plaque buildup.
If you usually don’t think of your tongue when brushing, we understand. It’s easy to forget, even if you’re already aware of the practice. But if you’re lacking the motivation to brush your tongue, consider the stinky bacteria you’d be removing. Yes, those bacteria do smell and are a common cause of bad breath. Their presence also increases that plaque buildup, which emits sulfur compounds that give your breath a foul odor. These bacteria also contribute to cavities and tooth pain that often require restorative intervention to fix.
What If I Rinse With Mouthwash?
Mouthwash rinses do help, but that’s just scratching the surface. While mouthwash and saltwater rinses can kill surface bacteria and temporarily freshen your breath, they often miss the bacteria that live between the papillae on the tongue. To be effective at removing those bacteria for good, you need to get in there and scrub.
Think of it as washing a dish. It gets a little cleaner when you spray it with water, but to get it completely clean, you’ll need a bit of pressure to remove the bacteria and buildup that cling to the surface.
How Should I Brush My Tongue?
There are two effective methods of tongue cleaning: brushing and scraping. When brushing, use a moist toothbrush, preferably with leftover toothpaste after you’ve cleaned your teeth. Spit out the excess toothpaste, but don’t rinse. This way, you’ll still have a light layer of toothpaste on your tongue while you brush it. Thoroughly brush your tongue, cheeks, and the roof of your mouth.
If brushing your tongue triggers a gag reflex, try a tongue scraper, available at most drugstores. The scraper glides along your tongue’s surface, removing mucus and bacteria. Scrape from the back of your tongue toward the front. Rinse the scraper and repeat. Be sure to clean the scraper afterward.
Regardless of your method, it’s wise to clean your tongue at least once a day, and make it a part of your dental hygiene routine. You can brush or scrape your tongue before or after flossing, as long as you remember to!
When to See Your Cincinnati Family Dentist
A healthy tongue should be bright pink. If it’s black and hairy, or white and bumpy, it likely has a high concentration of bacteria. But your tongue may not be the real source of bad breath. If you experience persistent halitosis, other issues, such as gum disease, sinus problems, or dry mouth, could be to blame.
If tongue brushing doesn’t resolve your bad breath, or you notice any other persistent issues, contact us at Beckham Square Family Dental today. We’ll identify the cause and recommend the right treatment to restore your fresh breath. You can use our online contact form to leave us a message when you schedule your appointment. We’ll get to the bottom of your problem. At the very least, you may benefit from a professional cleaning from your local provider.