Brushing your teeth is an important day-to-day routine which helps prevent gum disease and tooth decay. However, the only way to eliminate more bacteria in the mouth is by brushing both the teeth and tongue.  In fact, the tongue contains a bulk of the bacteria in your mouth, including bacteria from the environment as well as food and beverages.

While scrubbing your teeth eradicates the bacteria that have attached to your dental enamel, bacteria from your tongue will transfer over to your teeth in just a few hours. By brushing the tongue, bacteria hiding in the hard-to-reach places will be removed and bad breath can be prevented.

We advise brushing the entire surface of the tongue. Next, remove food particles and bacteria by rinsing thoroughly. A tongue scraper is a great way to remove plaque and has a slew of benefits such as fresher breath, less plaque and healthier gums. The most effective way to use this is by scraping the back of your mouth and pulling forward a few times.

The tip of your tongue is actually self-cleansing and unlikely to harbor a large quantity of odor-producing bacteria. The accumulation of bacteria is quite easy to spot; just stick your tongue out and look for white or brownish film. Generally, it’s triangular in shape and covers the back part of your tongue.

Contact Lindner Dental today at 603-944-9196 to schedule a dental cleaning!