Many clients feel like they have become dental masters once they have become routine tooth brushers and flossers (and they have surpassed the American expectation), but there is one more process that is essential for a clean and healthy mouth: thoroughly cleaning the tongue.
The tiny bumps and fissures that cover the tongue and the crevice between your tongue and your soft palate are the perfect environments for bacteria to infest. It builds up in masses and can easily move from your tongue to your teeth. Because of this, neglecting to brush your tongue can cause cavities.
Studies also show that 80 percent to 95 percent of bad breath is generated by food, bacteria, fungi, and dead cells that accumulate at the back of the tongue. And let’s be bluntly non-scientific for a second — No one wants to to smell bad breath. Basically, thoroughly cleaning the tongue is very important for your social and oral health.
It is true that you can just clean your tongue with a toothbrush, but investing in a tongue cleaner is actually very wise. Tongue cleaners are specifically designed to clean the small crevices of your tongue with smaller and softer bristles. Because they are flat, tongue cleaners can also reach farther back without triggering your gag reflex.
Whether you decide to use a toothbrush or a tongue cleaner, all of us at 1 Smile Away hope that you make cleaning your tongue a part of your daily routine. Call us at 706-868-4200 for help with anything else dental.