Whether you want to combat bad breath or improve your oral health, there are many benefits of brushing your tongue on a daily basis. Learn more!
Our Guelph Family Dentist Discusses the Benefits of Brushing Your Tongue While most of our patients at Westwood & Starwood Dental understand the importance of brushing and flossing their teeth on a daily basis, far fewer realize the added benefits of brushing their tongues! Did you know that many microscopic bacteria actually live on your tongue? And those bacteria are the usual suspects if you suffer from chronic halitosis (bad breath) because they often emit unpleasant odours. Whether you choose to brush your tongue to combat bad breath or to practice good oral hygiene, our family dentist in Guelph is here to shed some light on the many benefits of remembering to brush your tongue daily: Combat Bacteria and Bad Breath While it’s good for you to drink plenty of water and use mouthwash after brushing your teeth to combat germs and bad breath, rinsing your mouth out alone is not 100% effective when it comes to removing the buildup of bacteria on your tongue. When you rinse your mouth, you’re only removing the top layer of bacteria, leaving behind many cells lurking just below the surface. Brushing or cleaning your tongue in addition to rinsing ensures you’re removing more layers of bacteria on a regular basis, which should lead to fresher breath. And if it doesn’t, you may want to visit your family dentist for a consultation to determine why you have halitosis. Avoid Cavities and Gum Disease Buildups of bacteria and plaque in your mouth can cause cavities and gum disease over time. Your tongue is not a smooth surface area – it actually has many grooves and areas that bacteria can hide in. Brushing or scraping your tongue on a regular basis can help you prevent cavities and gum disease by improving your overall oral health. Enhance Those Taste Buds, Bud Did you know that certain flavours are probably being muted by the bacteria covering your tongue’s taste buds? Whether you’re a foodie or not, don’t you think you owe it to yourself to experience all the bold, rich flavours your food has to offer? You may even discover some new favourite foods as a result of having clearer taste buds! Prevent Strep Throat and Infections By ridding your mouth of unwanted bacteria, you’re also helping your body prevent strep throat, cold symptoms and many types of fungal infections that begin in the throat. Discourage Strokes, Heart Disease and Ulcers Practicing good oral hygiene means stopping bacteria in its tracks! Not only do you want to keep harmful bacteria out of your mouth, but you also want to keep it out of your capillaries (to discourage strokes and heart disease) and your stomach (to discourage digestion issues and ulcers). Recent research is showing that oral hygiene does have an impact on your overall health. Our Guelph General Dentist Explains How to Brush Your Tongue OK, so now that our general dentist in Guelph has “sold” you on the value of brushing your tongue daily, how exactly do you go about it? You can either brush your tongue with your regular toothbrush or with a specially designed tongue scraper (However, you should note that tongue scrapers have never actually been proven to be more effective, according to the American Dental Association). For the best results, brush your tongue using a back-and-forth motion, followed by a side-to-side motion. Once finished, rinse your mouth thoroughly with water. Remember, if you break the skin on your tongue, you’re either over-brushing or brushing too hard, and that isn’t the point! Pay a Visit to One of Our Dental Clinics in Guelph If you and your family are searching for a new family dentist, be sure to pay a visit to one of our two dental clinics in Guelph. Westwood Dental is conveniently located at 530 Willow Road, while our second office, Starwood Dental Group, can be found at 235 Starwood Drive. Both of our dental clinics are open Monday through Friday with evening hours available to accommodate your busy schedule. Contact us today to schedule your family’s next dental appointments and/or to further discuss the many benefits of practicing good oral hygiene. We welcome new patients of all ages!