Why do I need to brush my tongue?

Having a healthy smile is not always about a well-arranged, sparkling white set of teeth. Where lies the usefulness of a good looking set of teeth in a mouth with an offensive odor?

The tongue is the determining factor of the degree of healthiness of the mouth. Brushing and flossing your teeth daily without brushing the tongue is like washing the back of your cooking pot, leaving the inside unwashed. We all know the tongue is more connected to our internal organs than other contents of the mouth could ever be. Everything said so far, therefore, brings us to the reasons we need to brush our tongue.

We need to brush our tongue for the following reasons;

• Prevent Bad Breath

Offensive odor from the mouth can be an accumulation of bacteria on the tongue. There are quite a large number of unharmful bacteria on the human tongue; most of which can go haywire and cause damages to the host when the tongue is not properly cleaned. These microorganisms when stored up in the tongue mostly result in a release of stench from the mouth.  Mouth odor can be gotten rid of by rightly brushing the back of your tongue as this is considered the home of foul-smell causing microbes.

• Keep Your Taste Buds Alive

Not brushing your tongue will have you carry food particles, bacteria glazes and bio films (dead skin cells) around in your mouth, leaving you with a numb taste bud pallate. Brushing your tongue helps you to eliminate the bio films, giving your taste buds the vigor to jerk back to life.

• Keep Oral Thrush at Bay

The naturally occurring yeast present on your tongue might derail from their beneficial roles and start causing havoc in the mouth when the tongue is not taken care of. These yeast pile up on the tongue giving a whitish appearance which is known as oral thrush. This coating can be cured with antifungal medicines, but regular brushing of the tongue would keep this condition at bay.

• Avoid Other Health Issues

When bacteria accumulate on your tongue, they can spread to your teeth region which can cause inflammation of the gums (gingivitis). Gingivitis, when left untreated, can escalate to periodontal disease that subjects you to a higher risk of stroke and heart problems.

Considering all earlier said on the benefits of tongue brushing, I bet you can’t wait to brush your tongue. Brushing your tongue correctly is done by brushing from the back to the front, then moving sideways with or without toothpaste (the use of toothpaste makes it more soothing though) once to twice daily. And call Angel Dental of El Monte to set up your next check up appointment 626444-2002.