Most Erbsville Dental clients know the importance of brushing their teeth regularly, but how many take the time to brush that tongue? The truth is that the tongue holds a lot of the bacteria that causes bad breath. Brushing removes more than even a good mouthwash might leave behind. Whether you do it to avoid bad breath, or for good oral hygiene, there are many benefits to brushing your tongue daily.
Fight bad breath, gum disease and tooth decay!
You might be thinking, my mouthwash is incredibly effective, I can feel it burning the bacteria off my tongue! The truth is no mouthwash removes all the bacteria from your tongue or mouth. Brushing the tongue along with rinsing removes significantly more bacteria leaving your breath fresher, longer. It’s like using a cloth or brush when washing your car opposed to just hosing it off.
As you may have learned from past Erbsville Dental blogs bacteria and plaque cause cavities in your teeth. So, removing as much of it as possible (even what lurks on the tongue) will reduce your chances of developing cavities or even gum disease. Just look at the tongue with a magnifying glass and it becomes obvious that there are plenty of places for nasty things to hide. The tongue has lots of crevasse and grooves.
Need more reasons to brush everywhere including your tongue?
Here are 3 more. 1) A bacteria coated tongue can weaken the ability to taste some flavors. What you eat and drink can be more enjoyable with a clean tongue. Clean those taste buds, you may not know what you have been missing. 2) During cold and flu season (which is now) you can help your body fight off many cold symptoms and even prevent infections like strep throat or others that develop from unwanted bacteria. 3) Some studies (Harvard Medical School) have even linked good oral health to the prevention of strokes, heart disease and stomach ulcers. All good reasons to brush that tongue.
