The Right Way to Clean Your Tongue

Good oral habits don’t end in brushing twice and flossing once daily. You need to clean your tongue too! If you notice you have bad breath or halitosis, the problem doesn’t fall on your brushing or flossing technique, but it could be because you’re not cleaning your tongue the right way.

Cleaning your tongue is an essential part of a good oral hygiene routine because if neglected, your tongue can harbour millions of bacteria, which causes bad breath and other dental problems. Here at Dr. Sidarous and Associates, we ensure that our patients know the right way of cleaning their tongue.

Brushing: Use a soft bristle toothbrush when cleaning your tongue. You may use the same toothpaste that you use for brushing your teeth. Rinse with water after brushing.

Scraping: If you have a tongue scraper, use it to remove debris and residues stuck on your tongue. Put the scraper on your tongue and apply pressure while sliding the scraper down along the tongue’s surface. You may also put toothpaste on your tongue and scrape it, then rinse with water after scraping.

Clean Regularly: Make it a habit to clean your tongue after brushing and flossing your teeth. At a minimum, clean your tongue once in the morning and once in the evening.

Hydrate: Dry tongue can harbour bacteria so make sure your drink at least eight glasses of water every day. Also, don’t use alcohol-based mouthwash because they can dry your tongue. Regularly gargle and rinse your mouth with water to prevent accumulation of food debris on your tongue and mouth.

Cleaning your tongue is as important as brushing and flossing. If you want to learn more tips on cleaning your tongue, contact our dental office in Saint-Laurent, Quebec. We will gladly teach you with the proper techniques of tongue cleaning.

– Dr. Sidarous & Associates Team