It is well known that you need to brush your teeth and floss daily if you want to have a healthy mouth. After you brush, do you still sometimes have a bad taste in your mouth?

If your daily routine consists only of brushing and flossing, you are missing one very important aspect. You need also to brush your tongue.

Bacteria
Your mouth is filled with bacteria. Brushing your teeth will get rid of a lot of the bad bacteria, but that is not the only place that they hide. Bacteria also tend to thrive on your warm and wet tongue. It is the perfect place for them to reproduce. If you brush your tongue, you will get rid of a lot of them. Your mouth will feel fresher as well.

Be Careful
When brushing your tongue, you need to be careful. It is a good idea to use a soft toothbrush, and do not push down or scrub hard. You do not want to hurt the skin on your tongue. Also, take special care when you brush the back of your tongue. It is easy to cause a gag reflex. With a little bit of practice, you will learn to brush the back of your tongue without gagging.

You might also want to use a toothbrush that has a tongue scraper on the back of the head. Run that along your tongue first, and then gently brush. Again, never scrape hard. If you do end up cutting yourself, the skin on your tongue heals quickly.

If you need a recommendation for a good toothbrush, or you would like advice on brushing your tongue as well as your teeth, contact us. Good oral health begins with prevention and brushing your tongue as well as your teeth will help you to have a healthier mouth.