A general oral hygiene routine is said to involve brushing, flossing and using mouthwash, however, to really ensure that your mouth is completely clean you may want to incorporate tongue cleansing into your regime.
Why clean my tongue?
The majority of bacteria in your mouth is found towards the back of the tongue, which means that even when you have brushed and flossed every inch of your teeth bacteria can soon return, making its way from your tongue.
How does a tongue scraper work?
A tongue scraper is a simple device, made up hard plastic, which you run across the surface of the tongue. The scraper then pulls away the debris and harmful dental film that rests across the tongue. Doing this every morning and especially in the evening will help prevent bacteria from the tongue from tainting the rest of your mouth.
You can also use special brushes or just a general toothbrush (kept separately from the toothbrush you use on your teeth) to brush away the harmful bacterial film.
Tongue scraping is also a great idea if you wish to keep you breath smelling fresh, as the bacteria on your tongue is the main cause of bad breath.
What else should I do to keep my mouth fresh and clean?
Another underrated dental hygiene habit is flossing. Flossing removes the debris and plaque that has settled between the teeth, which brushing alone is unable to reach. If this debris is left to settle it can lead to numerous oral health problems, including tooth decay and gum disease, which can lead to tooth loss.
If is therefore important to do more than just brush your teeth, in order to keep a fresh and healthy mouth.
Most people are aware of the importance of cleaning their teeth, but have you ever spent time cleaning your tongue? Your tongue harbours thousands of bacteria and cleaning it on a regular basis helps to reduce the risk of decay and gum disease, as well as ensuring that your breath is fresh and clean.
Why is it important to clean the tongue?
Bacteria tend to gather around the tongue (especially at the back) and brushing your teeth alone is not sufficient to get rid of the bacteria and plaque in your mouth. Rinsing with mouthwash can be beneficial but you should also spend a couple of minutes cleaning your tongue. We recommend using a flexible plastic device used to scrape bacteria off the tongue.
Around 80 percent of cases of bad breath are linked to bacteria on the tongue and these bacteria can spread to other parts of the mouth, increasing the risk of decay and gum disease. Using a tongue cleaner removes bacteria from the tongue, eliminating bad breath, a problem that can be embarrassing, and helps you to enjoy good oral health.
Smoking and Your Tongue
Some smokers find that they develop a thick film over their tongue as a result of smoking. Using a tongue cleaner can remove this film, improving the odour of the breath and helping to reduce the amount of harmful bacteria in the mouth.
Advice about oral hygiene
If you need any advice about oral hygiene we are always on hand to give tips about brushing, flossing and rinsing, provide information about healthy eating and help with giving up smoking. We can also recommend oral hygiene products at Clifton Dental Studio in Bristol.
Dr Gerrard is a Bristol based Cosmetic dentist with many years of experience and is one of only a small number of dentists accredited by The British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry
