{"id":927,"date":"2019-09-25T07:00:31","date_gmt":"2019-09-25T11:00:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.pointedentalgroup.com\/blog\/?p=927"},"modified":"2019-09-17T09:58:53","modified_gmt":"2019-09-17T13:58:53","slug":"how-to-clean-your-tongue","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dev.pointedentalgroup.com\/blog\/how-to-clean-your-tongue\/","title":{"rendered":"Why & How to Clean Your Tongue to Improve Your Oral Health"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"A<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Dental hygiene isn\u2019t much of a mystery. You brush your teeth\nand gums, and floss in between. If you\u2019re really dedicated, you also\nincorporate mouthwash. But what about your tongue? You may not think about why\nor how to clean your tongue, but it\u2019s an equally important part to fight\nbacteria in your mouth! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Do You Really Need to Clean Your Tongue?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Even though nobody really talks about it, your tongue is\njust as vulnerable to bacteria as the rest of your mouth. For that reason,\ncleaning your tongue is a necessity. Daily\nbrushing and flossing is a given<\/a> \u2013 but how often do you clean your tongue?\nFor some, it\u2019s almost never!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Your teeth and gums experience unique problems associated\nwith bacteria. Primarily, cavities in your teeth and periodontal disease along\nyour gum tissue. While your tongue won\u2019t form cavities, it can suffer issues of\ninflammation like your gums!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition to inflammation, your tongue become more\nvulnerable to infections. While bacteria are the most likely culprit behind swelling\nof the tongue, anything from food particles to unshed dead cells can be a\nreason for it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to Clean Your Tongue Properly<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Fortunately, learning how to clean your tongue doesn\u2019t take\nlong. It\u2019s one of the easiest parts of your mouth to clean! Here are three\ndifferent ways you can work towards minimizing bacteria on your mouth: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tongue Scraper<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Like\nbrushing and flossing<\/a>, the best way to accomplish your goal is to use a\ntool designed specifically for the purpose! A tongue scraper, as the name\nimplies, is a fantastic tool you can use to quickly and easily scrape bacteria\naway from your mouth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Using a tongue scraper makes it easy to clean the entire\nsurface of your tongue. Simply place the scraper as far back as you comfortably\ncan on your tongue and, with some pressure, pull it forward. You\u2019ll want to\nrinse the scraper after each pull to ensure you clean off any bacteria or food\nparticles it may have removed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Don\u2019t forget to get the sides of your tongue as well. Your\ntongue is full of little bumps, and every tiny bit can be a safe haven for\nthousands of bacteria cells.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toothbrush<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Of course, you don\u2019t need a tongue scraper to clean your\ntongue! Your toothbrush also works just fine! In fact, using your toothbrush to\nclean your tongue can make it easier to manage your dental hygiene tools and make\nyou more likely to keep your tongue clean!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Similar to a tongue scraper, use the bristles of the brush\nto gently scrub your tongue across every surface. It may be slightly rougher\nthan using a tongue scraper, but if you feel pain, you\u2019re probably using too\nmuch pressure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mouthwash<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Another way you can help keep your tongue clean is with\nmouthwashes or rinses. You should note, however, that just like your teeth, a\nmouth rinse isn\u2019t enough to remove all the bacteria!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Using a mouthwash should be considered a supplement to\nbrushing or scraping. It will help with bacteria hiding in the hardest-to-reach\nrecesses of your tongue. Even if you use mouthwash daily, don\u2019t think your\ntongue will be completely clean.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Benefits of Cleaning Your Tongue<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Great\noral health<\/a> comes with several benefits, and that\u2019s true specifically of\ncleaning your tongue. In addition to learning how to clean your tongue, here\nare some reasons why <\/em>you should clean your tongue!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Improve Your Breath<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Bacteria in your mouth is almost always the root cause of\nbad breath. If you\u2019ve ever brushed your teeth and gums but still identify a\nhint of foul breath, it\u2019s likely to be your tongue!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Because exhaling pushes air over your tongue, that bacteria\naffects your breath more than other bacteria. When you use a toothbrush or\ntongue scraper to remove it, your breath will be instantly fresher! A little\nmouth wash can increase this effect, giving you the minty-fresh breath you\nwant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reduce Bacteria Risks<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Damage to your enamel is caused by bacteria in your mouth.\nIf your tongue is full of bacteria, the chances of it transferring to your\nteeth or gums is increased. Cleaning your tongue reduces the overall number of\nbacteria in your mouth, creating a healthier environment. This\nprevents cavities or gum disease!<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Improve Tongue Appearance<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Healthy tongues look reddish-pink. Bacteria on your tongue\ncan give it a pale, white appearance or even leave white residue all over it!\nEven if the growth is benign, it\u2019s rather unsightly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Remove bacteria from your tongue to restore it to its\nnatural health. If it\u2019s been a while since you\u2019ve ever brushed your tongue,\nchances are you\u2019ll notice immediate improvements! Plus, over the following days\nor weeks, the increased health of your oral biome will help undo any\ndiscoloration from bacteria or minor inflammation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Keep Your Smile Healthy<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

We want to help you maintain good oral health and a\nbeautiful smile. Regular teeth cleaning and dental check-ups are an important\npart of your routine, just like brushing and flossing. Schedule an appointment<\/a> with\nus or call and take the first step toward keeping your smile radiant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Grosse Pointe Farms: (313) 881-2480<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shelby Township: (586) 803-8300<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Contact<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Don\u2019t miss a thing! Connect with us on <\/strong>Facebook<\/strong><\/a>!<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\"A<\/p>\n

Dental hygiene isn\u2019t much of a mystery. You brush your teeth
\nand gums, and floss in between. If you\u2019re really dedicated, you also
\nincorporate mouthwash. But what about your tongue? You may not think about why
\nor how to clean your tongue, but it\u2019s an equally important part to fight
\nbacteria in your mouth! <\/p>\n

Do You … Continue Reading<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_s2mail":"yes","footnotes":""},"categories":[17,89],"tags":[20,104],"class_list":["post-927","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-dental-tips","category-general-dentistry","tag-bad-breath","tag-preventive-dental-care"],"yoast_head":"\nHow to Clean Your Tongue | Pointe Dental Group | Shelby Twp & Grosse Pointe, MI<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Worried about bacteria on your tongue? 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