Your Tongue and the Roof of Your Mouth Need Brushing Too
Posted on 8/25/2018 by Office
For many people, proper dental hygiene involves brushing the teeth and flossing daily. All of the emphasis is on the teeth, and while your pearly whites are certainly important, they can't be your sole focus.
The roof of your mouth and your tongue are a hotbed of activity within the oral cavity, so you need to brush these areas, too.
Brushing Your Tongue
There are hundreds of bacterial species that live in the mouth. While not all are harmful, the bad ones often camp out on the tongue. If you don't brush regularly, your tongue will spread these bad bacteria throughout the mouth, leading to a variety of problems. Some of the most common include.
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Bad breath. Halitosis is the top problem connected to not brushing your tongue. Bacterial overgrowth causes that foul odor.
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Black hairy tongue. This condition occurs when the papillae on your tongue are stained due to leftover drinks and food particles.
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Oral thrush. When bacterial levels get extremely out of control, naturally-occurring yeast in the mouth will also get out of whack. This will result in white patches, and an antifungal medicine is needed for treatment.
Additionally, food may begin to taste different, as the taste buds will become duller.
Brushing the Roof of Your Mouth
The same logic goes into effect when it comes to brushing the roof of your mouth. If you fail to do so, you give bacteria a safe place to hide out and multiply. For that matter, you should also brush inside of your cheeks and the outer edge of your jaws.
In addition to proper brushing, if you want the healthiest possible mouth, you need to visit your dentist regularly. Regardless of how long it has been since your last cleaning, it is important to get your mouth checked out. Call us today to set up your appointment.
4553 N Loop 1604 W, Suite 1211 San Antonio, TX78249
For many people, proper dental hygiene involves brushing the teeth and flossing daily. All of the emphasis is on the teeth, and while your pearly whites are certainly important, they can't be your sole focus. 
