Ignoring Your Tongue During Your Oral Hygiene Routine is Dangerous
Posted on 2/20/2023 by Dr. Saklofsky
Many people do not realize that bacteria like to hang out on your tongue. Bacteria like to congregate in the back part of your tongue the best, where it is dark and wet. Bacteria can colonize quite quickly, and it can take you by surprise. It can also make those around you by surprise when they smell your bad breath for your sake and those around you, including brushing your tongue as part of your oral hygiene routine.
Notice Your Tongue
It is essential to brush your tongue to minimize bacterial overgrowth. It is also important to take notice of your tongue. Your tongue can be an indicator of not only your oral health, by your overall health.
For instance, if your tongue is discolored, that may be a signal of a bigger problem; if your tongue appears black or hairy looking, you may want to research how diabetes could be a possible cause of this abnormality. If your tongue appears red, you may be deficient in some trace minerals or have a fever or a hormone imbalance. If you see bumpy white patches developing on your tongue, this could indicate you may have a yeast overgrowth. Thrush, which is a yeast infection, is often identifiable with a quick look at your tongue. Do not ignore your tongue during your oral hygiene routine. Instead, take notice of what it may be trying to tell you and keep it clean by brushing it daily.
Schedule Your Routine Cleaning and Exam
One of the best ways to take care of your mouth is to make sure you prioritize your dental appointments. Coming to our office twice a year is an important proactive measure. When you visit us, we will do a professional cleaning and exam. We would be happy to talk to you about the best way to keep your teeth and tongue clean. We want to help you have the best smile as well as a functional mouth.
Dentist Tigard, OR | Dental Blog - Lincoln Center Smiles Dr. Saklofsky has created an educational blog as a resource for our patients. If you like an article or the dental blog in general please share it to social media, then call (971) 317-9499 to make an appointment. Lincoln Center Smiles, 10500 SW Greenburg Rd, Suite 3, Portland, OR 97223-1406 ~ (503) 598-0898 ~ sakdental.com ~ 9/4/2024 ~ Tags: dentist Tigard OR ~
Many people do not realize that bacteria like to hang out on your tongue. Bacteria like to congregate in the back part of your tongue the best, where it is dark and wet. Bacteria can colonize quite quickly, and it can take you by surprise. It can also make those around you by surprise when they smell your bad breath for your sake and those around you, including brushing your tongue as part of your oral hygiene routine.