Tongue Health
Oral hygiene encompasses your whole mouth, and while the majority of patients visit us due to an issue with their teeth your tongue is an integral part of your dental health and should therefore be as cared for.
Key advice that our dentists give is to always ensure you brush your tongue, it can help removing harmful bacteria which leads to fresher breath and can help improve your sense of taste! Some toothbrushes have a ridged texture on the back of the toothbrush head which can be used to brush your tongue however you can also use the bristles to brush along the surface. Ensure you use a small amount of toothpaste when brushing your tongue to help remove debris and bacteria.
Although you may not know it, it is advised that you brush your tongue as much as you brush your teeth and you can also use a tongue scraper as they can improve tongue health and help remove dead cells. As well as brushing your tongue, scraping can also ensure fresher breath. Tongue scrapers work a little differently as they scrape across the top removing anything that has collected on the tongue. Tongue scrapers should be made from plastic and washed after every use and they should be used gently. If any bleeding or soreness occurs it means that the scraper is being used too vigorously and causing damage.
If you are worried about your tongue it is advised to visit your dentist to ensure there are no issues. A tongue should be pink as this indicates that it is healthy. Different colours can indicate certain issues such as:
Red – some illnesses cause the tongue to appear more red than pink.
White – can indicate thrush or if it is a white coating it is usually a sign of poor oral hygiene or dehydration.
Yellow – can indicate illnesses such as liver problems or poor oral hygiene.
Black – can be due to trapped bacteria and debris which occurs for poor oral hygiene, medications and smoking.
Purple – poor circulation or heart conditions.
Colour can be due to various different reasons and the above list is just a suggestion for what each colour could mean.
At Paulton Dental & Implant Centre we have a lot of patients visit us due to severe dental pain, and as the mouth is a sensitive area any amount of dental pain can prevent patients from going about their normal routines. Although it is a rare occurrence to have patients visit with tongue pain, any dental issue can of course inhibit being able to eat and enjoy food. Studies have shown that regularly cleaning your tongue can improve your taste therefore making it just as important as brushing your teeth.
Did you know… taste buds regenerate every 10-14 days!
The basis to good oral hygiene is regular dentist visits and although these tips can help ensure your dental health improves, the regular visits can detect numerous other issues that may arise even if oral hygiene is optimal. We offer hygiene appointments for £65 and these can make a huge difference to your oral hygiene. Our hygienist can also suggest any specific tips that could best benefit your oral health.
Our routine hygiene appointments are 20 minutes but we also offer 30 minute appointments for patients who need a more in-depth clean as well as airflow which helps to remove staining and where required we offer periodontal treatment.
As the teeth are such an imperative part of oral hygiene it can be easy to forget that the tongue also needs attention to ensure the best dental care. As mentioned a healthy tongue should be pink, but it should also be covered in a rogue texture of bumps, these are called papillae. The surface of your tongue is therefore a perfect place for bacteria and other debris to develop so make sue you remember to brush your tongue!
Why not ask your dentist about tongue hygiene during your next visit?
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