Your tongue is an incredibly important part of your mouth, allowing you to enunciate words, chew, swallow, and taste your food. It is important to take proper care of your tongue in order to keep these functions working properly. Continue reading to learn more about how you can better care for your tongue.
How To Care For Your Tongue
If you do not take proper care of your tongue, you could eventually get some sort of tongue disease or have very bad breath. Cleaning and caring for your tongue eliminates these problems. There are all sorts of things that you can do each day to improve your oral health and take better care of your tongue.
Don’t Forget To Brush Your Tongue
The first thing that needs to happen to care for your tongue and keep it clean and healthy is that you make sure to brush your tongue. One of the first lessons about hygiene that children receive is to brush their teeth. But something that is not often discussed is that it is also crucial to brush your tongue when you are brushing your teeth. Brushing off your tongue when brushing your teeth ensures that bacteria is cleaned from your mouth and that your breath will smell much better.
Drink Lots Of Water
This tip is useful for your health in general. When you make sure to drink water, you ensure that you get the hydration that you need. Drinking water ensures that bacteria, food, and sugars do not get stuck on your tongue or on your teeth. Make sure to drink a glass of water when you eat and when you drink sugary drinks. It may be helpful to drink water after eating a meal as well. Lastly, when you are cleaning your teeth and mouth, swishing a glass of water may help to rinse your mouth and remove any bad bacteria or leftover food from your tongue.
Use A Tongue Scraper
The next step that you can take to improve your oral health and better care for your tongue is to use a tongue scraper. Tongue scrapers are used to help remove mucus from the surface of your tongue that develops due to sugar collection. A tongue scraper essentially is just a soft piece of plastic that can be gently scraped over the tongue. If you are experiencing bad breath or a film on your tongue, a tongue scraper may be a great tool for you to use.
Pay Attention To The Color Of Your Tongue
Lastly, a way to better improve your health is to pay attention to the color of your tongue. A healthy tongue is going to be a light pink color with a slightly opaque or white color, and other colors can be an indication of an underlying health issue. For example, a completely white tongue can indicate dehydration or a fungal infection, a bright-red tongue can point to an infection or a blood disorder, and a tongue that is lacking color could mean a vitamin deficiency. If you notice any of these color changes or another abnormal color, then you should see a dentist and/or a doctor to help you care for your tongue as soon as possible.
Do You Need Professional Dental Services?
If you are in need of professional dental care, we at Jenson Dental would be more than happy to help you get the care that you need. We offer many different dental services that aim to improve your oral health in many ways. Our team is talented, experienced, and knowledgeable about the dental sphere, meaning that we can provide you with options to improve your health. For convenient, quick, and easy dental services or to speak with someone from our team, feel free to contact us at Jenson Dental today.
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