Why it’s Important to Clean Your Tongue

You brush at least twice a day and floss at least once, but what about cleaning your tongue? If you’re like most people, you probably neglect this important part of dental hygiene. While people are taught from childhood about the importance of brushing and flossing, tongue care is an often neglected subject. It’s vital to oral health, though, and here are some reasons why.

• Your tongue is a breeding ground for bacteria. In fact, most of the bacteria your mouth can be found on the rough surface of your tongue. When you brush your teeth, you remove bacteria from your teeth. However, saliva carries bacteria from your tongue back to your teeth in just a few hours.
• Neglecting to brush your tongue leads to bad breath. All the bacteria hanging out on your tongue can cause odor. Cleaning your tongue can prevent halitosis.
• Cleaning your tongue reduces your risk of periodontal disease. Gum disease is a real problem that can lead to illnesses throughout the body. When you remove the bacteria from your tongue, there’s less of a chance that it can lead to gum infection.
• Your taste buds will thank you for cleaning your tongue. Bacteria on your tongue can coat your taste buds and mute the flavors of your food. Want to enjoy more rich flavors? Clean your tongue.
• Regularly cleaning your tongue makes you less likely to develop oral thrush. An infection caused by overgrowth of yeast in the mouth, oral thrush can be the result of excessive bacteria in your mouth. You may develop white patches on your tongue that require treatment with an antifungal medication. You can keep this infection at bay, however, by regularly cleaning your tongue.
• Your immune system benefits from a clean tongue. The health of your mouth has a major impact on the health of your body and your tongue works to boost your immune system. Toxins build up on your tongue, and when you clean them off, you’ll prevent them from being absorbed into your body. You’ll have better overall health and stronger immune function.

So, what’s the best way to clean your tongue? Rinsing won’t do the trick; you’ll have to use your toothbrush. Beginning at the back of your tongue, work your way towards the front of your mouth, brushing back and forth, side to side, over the entire top surface of your tongue. Brush firmly but gently enough to avoid breaking the skin. To keep a healthy mouth, brush your teeth and tongue at least twice a day, floss daily, and keep regular appointments with an experienced, well-qualified dentist.

If you’re looking for the perfect dentist, choose the practice that was voted best dentist in NYC! At Park 56 Dental Group, we offer pediatric, prosthodontics, endodontics, oral surgery, Invisalign®, emergency, and sedation dentistry, all at the highest level of treatment. We serve the Midtown, Central Park, Upper East Side, Park Avenue, and all surrounding Manhattan and New York areas, with a patient-centered practice that has hours to fit your schedule. Schedule your complimentary consultation today by contacting us online or calling us at (212) 826-2322.