As with a tongue scraper, you should only brush as far back as the end of your tongue groove. Do not brush your tonsils on either side of your tongue.
Tooth Brush:
Some toothbrushes even come with tongue cleaners are the opposite side of the bristles. When cleaning your tongue with a toothbrush, you first put a small amount of toothpaste on and then start brushing from the back of your mouth to the front. Then wash your mouth out with water!
White tongue is caused by excessive bacteria in the mouth that's collected on the tongue. It can be caused by numerous conditions, such as poor dental hygiene, medication use, dry mouth, and smoking. Tongue scraping is a fast and easy way to remove this bacteria build-up and resolve the problem.
Use a tongue scraper – A tongue scraper is a simple, inexpensive tool that you can find online or in many drugstores. To use it, grasp both of the handles and glide it over your tongue several times with light, even pressure, rinsing it off each time.
It's most effective to clean your tongue after brushing but before rinsing so that there is still some toothpaste residue in your mouth. Then scrub your tongue with your brush before rinsing to reap the benefit of a full-mouth cleaning.
In order to lower the bacteria population in one´s mouth, one must brush the tongue, the cheeks, and the roof of the mouth. This leaves fewer bacteria in the mouth to attack the teeth and gums. It also lowers the risk of bad breath.
A healthy tongue is typically pink in color and covered with papillae (tiny bumps) which contain your taste buds and assist with chewing food. Indications of an unhealthy tongue include different coloration besides pink, spots or patches (such as white, brown, or black spots), open sores, etc.
Not brushing your tongue causes overgrown bacteria, giving off a foul smell or stink. Besides causing great embarrassment, lousy breath can increase your risk of digestive issues such as reflux and GERD. Fortunately, the bad breath will go away once you brush your tongue and mouth.
White tongue is the result of an overgrowth and swelling of the fingerlike projections (papillae) on the surface of your tongue. The appearance of a white coating is caused by debris, bacteria and dead cells getting lodged between the enlarged and sometimes inflamed papillae.
A healthy tongue should be pink in color with small nodules called papillae over the surface.
In theory, scraping your tongue could help maintain the right balance of “good” bacteria in your mouth. This good bacteria could produce more nitric oxide, which nourishes stem cells that help to repair and replace older damaged cells.
Cleaning your tongue is an important part of maintaining oral hygiene. It goes hand-in-hand with brushing your teeth and can clear away bacteria which causes bad breath. It's especially important to clean the back of your tongue because debris can build up quickly and lead to the bad breath.
Brushing off the bacteria from your tongue will reduce plaque formation within your mouth that could cause unfortunate side effects such as tooth decay, gum disease and cavities. Bonus tip: Drink enough water to stop your mouth from becoming dry!
How to Brush your Tongue. Put a small amount of toothpaste on your toothbrush. Start at the back of your tongue and brush your way forward. Use gentle but firm pressure in back-and-forth motions, just like brushing your teeth.
Damage to the taste buds and opening the way for possible infection are side effects of brushing the tongue too vigorously or with harsh bristles.
If you brush your tongue too hard, you could irritate the muscle and cause injuries over time. This is doubly true if you use an electric toothbrush, as it's easy for people not used to the efficacy of electric brushes to push down too hard and cause damage to their teeth, gums, or tongue.
Desensitization. One of the most effective techniques for cleaning your tongue without gagging is to gently desensitize yourself. Rather like getting your dog used to fireworks, introducing the stimulus gently and repeatedly can allow you to overcome your gag reflex. Moisten a soft toothbrush.
After brushing, spit out any excess toothpaste. Don't rinse your mouth immediately after brushing, as it'll wash away the concentrated fluoride in the remaining toothpaste. Rinsing dilutes it and reduces its preventative effects.
Yellow tongue usually occurs as a result of a harmless buildup of dead skin cells on the tiny projections (papillae) on the surface of your tongue. Most commonly this occurs when your papillae become enlarged and bacteria in your mouth produce colored pigments.
Everything from dehydration, stress, smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, and the food you eat can contribute to developing a white film on your tongue. It is now thought that tongue piercings and meat consumption could also be factors in the plaque buildup on your tongue.
Do you really need to clean your tongue using your toothbrush and toothpaste? You certainly do. Fluoride toothpaste can clean your tongue just as effectively as cleaning your teeth.
This sticky, disgusting layer of film is called oral thrush, and it's normal to want to rid your mouth of the foul substance as quickly as possible! Read on to learn more from your dentist about what causes oral thrush, along with some measures you can take to address it and maintain good oral health.