Don’t Forget To Brush Your Tongue

We talk a lot about the importance of flossing and brushing our teeth. Not only will brushing and flossing keep our teeth free of plaque, bacteria, and decay, but it also keeps our breath fresh and helps us avoid cavities. What you may not hear as often is the importance of brushing your tongue as well. Any bacteria living on your tongue can easily jump onto those freshly brushed teeth, undoing all the oral hygiene work you’ve put in.

Consider the food you’ve eaten so far today. Brushing and flossing your teeth will help get rid of any leftover debris and bacteria, but everything that touched your teeth will have also touched your tongue. The bacteria and debris leftover on your tongue can do just as much damage to your oral health.

Benefits Of Tongue Brushing

Below are just a few of the benefits of properly brushing your tongue:

• Prevention of plaque buildup in the mouth
• Decrease the chances of tooth decay
• Rids the mouth of the bacteria that causes strep throat and other illnesses
• Keeps your breath fresh
• Lowers your risk of heart disease or stroke

Brushing Your Tongue

You can use toothpaste to brush your tongue or not, it’s up to you. Make sure that you always brush from back to front and rinse thoroughly with water. Don’t forget to rinse your toothbrush as well, as a dirty toothbrush will just be spreading the germs around.

For more tips on keeping your mouth as healthy as possible, or if you’d like to make an appointment with Dr. Behnaz Raisdana, please contact Auburn Family Dental at our Wichita, KS location.