Have you ever been told that you need to brush your tongue? Have you made an effort to make it a normal part of your dental routine? If not, should you?
Cleaning your tongue isn’t actually necessary, especially if you brush your teeth twice a day for two minutes at a time, floss daily, and visit a dentist every six months. One of the most important things you can do to protect your oral health is removing the bacteria that could ultimately lead to gum disease. While it is true that your tongue could have bacteria on it—and that the bacteria may spread back to your teeth—but it takes at least 24 hours for plaque to form. This means that as long as you brush at least once a day, the bacteria on your tongue won’t cause plaque.
But please don’t misunderstand. It’s not necessarily a bad idea to brush your tongue. In fact, it may even help you, especially if you have persistent bad breath. As mentioned before, there are bacteria on your tongue. Some of these bacteria can produce unpleasant odor, and the most effective way to remove this odor is often cleaning the bacteria. Similarly, you may want to scrub your tongue if you notice that some foods, like garlic, salmon, or onions, tend to linger in your mouth.
Please contact us soon if you would like more information on scrubbing your tongue. We are excited to hear from you.
