If you have dentures, or you have struggled with chronic bad breath in the past, cleaning your tongue as part of your daily oral hygiene routine can benefit your oral health. Your tongue has a lot of rough surfaces that can harbor bacteria, which might make it easier for plaque to form in your mouth.

After removing your dentures and brushing them, you can give your tongue a light brushing as well. Make sure you brush around the sides of the tongue and use a gentle circular motion to brush the rough surface of the taste buds. This will help clean your tongue of bacteria and refresh your mouth.

You could also try a tongue scraper, which is a device with a small plastic handle with a mildly sharp edge on one end. When using a tongue scraper, you should work from front to back making multiple overlapping sweeps. If you notice a buildup of material on the blade edge, you should rinse it off before making the next sweep.

After you are done cleaning plaque and bacteria from your tongue you should then vigorously rinse your mouth with antiseptic mouthwash to wash away lingering bacteria and debris as well as freshen your breath.

If you have questions about how to clean your tongue and maintain good oral hygiene, you can call Madison Dental Spa at 203.245.5101 to schedule an appointment.