The importance of brushing your tongue

Did you know that cleaning your tongue is just as important as brushing and flossing? It’s true! The tongue is covered with bacteria that cling to the crevices and elevations of your tongue. There are many tools you can buy to clean your tongue including toothbrushes, specialized tongue scrapers, and toothbrushes with built-in scrapers.

At Jackson Dental, we advise our patients to brush their tongues regularly, and here’s why.

  1. It can help prevent tooth decay and periodontal disease.
  2. It improves your breath
  3. It prevents black hairy tongue, which occurs when the papillae get stained due to consumption of dark food and drink.
  4. Rinsing is not enough. Bacteria cling to the crevices of the tongue and mouthwash is not effective at removing it.

And of course, we always want to see you for scheduled checkups at least every six months! If you have not been in to see us in a while or are having issues, call Jackson Dental today at 573-243-5200 to schedule an appointment.