At any given moment, your mouth is probably full of bacteria. That’s relatively normal, and in fact it’s even necessary for good oral hygiene. Unfortunately, a lot of those bacteria generate by-products which don’t smell very nice, especially after you’ve eaten a meal and your food is being broken down. Dr. Allan Mulandi from Eastern Slope Dental recommends a daily tongue cleaning to banish the bad breath which usually results after eating.
As your Conway, NH dentist could tell you, a good tongue scraper or a plain old toothbrush will get the job done. All you’ll have to do is stick your tongue out as far as it will go, and scrape from the point furthest in back, toward the front. Make sure to apply only gentle pressure to keep the process comfortable. After each pass, wash your toothbrush or tongue scraper to remove whatever material has accumulated. You can optionally rinse your mouth with a mouthwash or plain water to make sure your breath stays fresh.
Your Conway dental team recommends checking your tongue’s color to determine whether or not you’ve done a good job. If it’s a fleshy, pink color, you have probably removed most of the unwanted material from it. Any other color is an indication that you may have more work to do. If your tongue can’t achieve that fresh pink, you may want to check in with us, as there could be an underlying condition.
For any concerns or questions about tongue cleaning or other daily oral hygiene, be sure to come to Eastern Slope Dental for gentle, compassionate treatment.
