What You Should Know about Cleaning Your Tongue

Keeping your mouth clean is critical to maintaining the health of your teeth and avoiding bad breath. Pretty much everyone knows how to clean their teeth, but that’s not the only part of your mouth you need to give attention to. You should also clean your tongue. Do you know how to do it?

The Benefits of Cleaning Your Tongue

Did you know that you have about 10,000 tastebuds covering your tongue? Those, plus all the folds underneath your tongue add up to a lot of surface area that bacteria can collect and breed on. As you eat throughout the day, bacteria and food particles build up on your tongue. Cleaning your tongue helps prevent those substances from being transferred to your teeth where they can contribute to decay. It also prevents them from contributing to a nasty case of halitosis (bad breath)

How to Clean Your Tongue

So how do you clean your tongue? There are a couple of ways to go about it. First, you can simply brush your tongue with your toothbrush when you brush your teeth. Apply a small amount of toothpaste to your toothbrush and brush your tongue from back to front. Some toothbrushes even come with a tongue cleaner on the side opposite from the bristles. 

You can also use a tongue scraper to clean your tongue. Position the tool at the back of your tongue and pull it forward, scraping against your tongue. Do it from multiple angles to get as much bacteria off your tongue as possible. Regardless of what method you use, rinse your mouth with water or mouthwash when you’re done. Your tongue should be pink when you’re finished.

How Often to Clean Your Tongue

Make cleaning your tongue easy on yourself by cleaning it when you brush your teeth. For most people, that will mean cleaning it twice a day. Make cleaning your tongue after you brush your teeth part of your oral hygiene routine. Doing so will limit bacteria growth and reduce instances of morning breath the next day.

Cleaning your tongue regularly helps keep your breath fresh and removes bacteria that could threaten the health of your teeth. Of course, you can still end up with bad breath even if you are diligent about cleaning your tongue and teeth. Talk to your dentist if you have concerns about your breath or any other oral issue you’re facing.

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