How to Care for Your Tongue for Better Oral Health

You might think that you have perfected your oral hygiene by flossing and brushing your teeth twice a day, but if you don’t take care of your tongue you are not doing it properly. This crucial step will elevate your oral hygiene to a new level. In this blog article, we will mention some helpful recommendations on how to take care of your tongue and how this will help with bad breath and other dental issues. 

Understanding The Tongue’s Role In Oral Health

Your tongue plays an important role in the function of your body. Not only does it allow you to taste and enjoy your foods and drinks but it will also make it possible for you to speak, chew, and swallow. Since it has these many functions, keeping it clean is very important. Furthermore, we will explain the function of the tongue in more detail, so keep on reading if you are interested. 

Your Tongue & Oral Health

Although you might not think of the tongue as an important part of your body and you dont worry about it too much, you should know that this is not true. Every time you eat or drink something your tongue will come into contact with it. This means that every bacteria can enter it.

Our tongue is made up of three different types of taste buds.  Some are located in the back, some in the middle, and some on the side. They allow us to feel different tastes, such as salty, sour, or sweet. Each one of them will allow us to enjoy food properly. 

Taste With Your Tongue

Another important function of the tongue is to encourage saliva production that helps us chew the food while also helping the teeth avoid direct contact with it. Since it helps us with one of the most important functions of our body, it will help a lot with the condition of our oral and general health.

The Tongue’s Role In Eating And Breaking Down Food

As we mentioned before, our tongue helps us enjoy our food and plays a crucial role in our oral health. This is made possible by our taste buds which are divided into three groups, and are replaced every 12 days. 

• Circumvallate taste buds, or papillae, are big, intricate taste buds located at the rear of the tongue that resemble an inverted letter V.
• On either side of the tongue are foliate taste buds or papillae.
• Fungiform taste buds, or papillae, are found in the center of the tongue.

Five distinct cells, one for each taste bud type, are responsible for detecting flavors, including savory, sweet, salty, and bitter. When you consume food that causes a certain experience on a regular basis, your taste receptors get used to it and first reject new sensations. This helps to explain why, despite their poor nutritional worth, some people develop an addiction to salty and sugary foods.

The tongue aids in producing saliva and moving food around in the mouth for further chewing when you bite into something. The tongue’s ability to keep food from making prolonged contact with teeth is another crucial function. When sugar, starch, and other dietary elements break down in the mouth and stay on the teeth, the usual outcome is tooth decay.

The meal is broken down by the tongue and rounded into a bulk called a bolus. The tongue’s last function when eating is to force the food down the back of your throat’s esophagus, where your body will further break it down and transfer it to your cells so they can make energy.

Common Tongue-Related Issues

After explaining the main functions of your mouth we would like to mention also some common issues that can happen. When you feel symptoms like pain, swelling, or trouble moving your tongue you may start to worry. Also sometimes our tongue can even experience a change in color or texture. Without knowing the cause of these changes, it is normal that you will start to worry.

However, these issues rarely indicate a serious issue and in most cases are nothing to worry about. If you are experiencing any severe symptoms that come unexpectedly and have lasted for a very long time, it is a good idea to set up a checkup appointment with your healthcare provider. Sometimes these issues can also be discussed with your dentist.

Can Your Tongue Indicate Health Problems?

If you have noticed changes in your tongue like, the way it moves, feels, looks, or functions, you should start to worry. Sometimes these simple changes can indicate more serious conditions. However, in some other cases, the issue can be straightforward, as for example pain when drinking something very hot very fast.

In other cases, a visit to a healthcare professional will be necessary to diagnose the problem. For instance, an enlarged or swollen tongue might indicate a tumor, an allergic response, or a nutritional deficit. Consult a healthcare practitioner if you’re uncertain. They can give you advice on whether treatment is necessary or if making lifestyle adjustments can help you manage the problem at home.

Daily Tongue Cleaning Routine

Tongue Scrapers Are The Most Effective

If you dont clean your tongue while brushing your teeth, or use a toothbrush to do it you should stop. Try using tongue scrapers instead. 

They are a great way to eliminate bacteria from the mouth and are far more effective than toothbrushes since they reduce the volatile sulfur compounds that are the main reason for bad breath. Here are some tips that will help you use a tongue scraper the right way:

• Tongue scrapers can either be metallic or plastic. You can either find them in pharmacies or other stores that sell them. 
• Once you find the right tongue scraper, you should make it a habit of using it twice a day, every time you brush your teeth.
• You should start by sticking your tongue as far as you can and put the scraper on the back.
• While slightly pressuring it to the tongue move it to the front. 
• Now that the cleaning process is done you can run the tongue scraper on water to clean any bacteria and saliva. Also if you have any leftover saliva spit it out. 
• If needed you can repeat the step several times or until your tongue feels clean. 
• Tongue scrapers should be used every day after you brush your teeth. By doing so you will eliminate bad breath and remove any bacteria left in your mouth. 

How To Clean Your Tongue With A Toothbrush

As we said before some people can also use their toothbrush to clean their tongue. Although they are not as effective as tongue scrapers,  it is still better than not cleaning it at all. Keep in mind these steps if you clean you want to clean your tongue with your toothbrush:

• If you dont want to damage your tongue or make it sensitive, use a soft-bristled toothbrush.
• Stick out your tongue and start brushing it from the back to the front. 
• After brushing, spit away any saliva that comes up and give the toothbrush a warm water rinse. 
• Cleaning your tongue should become a part of your oral routine. Add this simple but important step to your daily routine and you will notice huge improvements. 

Diet And Its Impact On Tongue Health

Your diet will influence not just your overall health, but also the condition of your tongue. The type of food you consume will have a big impact on its condition and look. Let’s take a look at how the condition of your tongue will be impacted by different factors:

Hydration is a crucial factor for your oral health, and it affects every part of your mouth. If you dont drink enough water during the day, you will experience dehydration. Dehydration will make the tongue look dry, cracked, and pale. This will cause bad breath and a feeling of discomfort. Try to drink at least 2 liters of water per day. 

Maintaining a healthy diet is also important if you want to keep your tongue healthy. There are several deficiencies of health conditions that can cause abnormalities in the tongue. One of them is iron deficiency. This deficiency will make the tongue look pale and dry. Also, if you have a Vitamin B12 deficiency, your tongue may appear red and sour.

Like we said a healthy diet is the key to a healthy body. Try to eat include fruits, vegetables, proteins, and healthy fats if you want to avoid deficiencies and have a healthier mouth. It is also important to know what kinds of food to avoid. 

Acidic and spicy foods can be delicious but they are not healthy for your tongue. They may cause irritation and temporary changes in color, size, and texture. If you consume them regularly your mouth will become more sensitive, so it is important to moderate their intake. 

As you may have understood by now maintaining proper oral hygiene will not only help you keep your teeth clean but will also keep the tongue healthy. If you dont take good care of your mouth by brushing your teeth and flossing them regularly, you can experience bacterial overgrowth, plaque, and tongue coating. To avoid this issue you should also start using a tongue scraper. 

Certain foods may cause allergy responses or food sensitivities in certain people. These responses can occasionally appear as tongue changes such as swelling, redness, or the development of ulcers or hives. It’s crucial to speak with a healthcare provider if you think you may have dietary allergies or sensitivities so they can accurately evaluate and advise you.

Important elements in supporting a healthy tongue include eating a balanced diet, drinking plenty of water, maintaining proper oral hygiene, and being aware of any potential food allergies or sensitivities. It’s best to consult a doctor for a precise diagnosis and recommended course of action if you have specific worries regarding the look of your tongue or any ongoing changes.

Preventing Tongue-Related Issues

It is not always possible to avoid situations that lead to tongue issues. Still, by maintaining proper dental hygiene, you can lower your risk of infection and irritation. Every day, floss once, brush twice, and use a tongue scraper to remove microorganisms from your tongue. 

Regular dental visits are also important when it comes to your oral health. Keep in mind to steer clear of tobacco products and smoking, as they can aggravate ulcers and raise your risk of mouth cancer.

When To See A Dentist

Many people do not consider tongue problems as serious medical issues and they either expect them to improve on their own or they use home remedies to treat it. Although the issue itself cannot be serious sometimes the cause of it should not be ignored. 

Tongue issues can be a side effect of several medical issues and identifying them will be the best course of action. If you notice any of the following symptoms it will be a good idea  to contact your dentist:

• If your tongue feels sore for more than two weeks.
• If you notice any color changes in your tongue.
• Sores or lumps in your tongue that grow over time.
• These sores will cause pain and discomfort in the mouth. 
• If you notice any dry patches on the mouth.
• If you have sores that are causing bad breath. 

Common Questions About Tongue Care

Should I Brush My Tongue Or Do Something Special To Clean It?

It is very important to clean your tongue. Whether you use a toothbrush or a tongue scraper, they will both work great. All you need to do to be healthy is to make sure that when you wash your teeth, you remove any debris or bacteria from its surface. 

How Can I Improve My Tongue Hygiene?

To keep your tongue healthy and remove bacteria follow this simple advice:

• Brush your tongue with a toothbrush or use a tongue scraper twice a day, every time you clean your teeth.
• If you have bridges, dentures, or retainers clean them every night before putting them on.
• Try to avoid cigarettes and other products that contain tobacco.
• Try to drink enough water throughout the day in order to keep your mouth hydrated. 

What Are Bad Habits For The Tongue?

• The worst thing you can do for your tongue is not taking proper care of your mouth. 
• Bad habits like smoking, vaping, or chewing tobacco can cause damage to your mouth and make it dry. 
• Wearing dentures or cutting your mouth with sharp objects will damage the tongue, but it will heal quickly.

Is It OK To Clean Your Tongue Daily?

Cleaning your tongue should become a part of your regular dental hygiene. Since bacteria grow fact we recommend our patients to use tongue scrapers twice a day, once in the morning after they wake up and once before they go to sleep. This will also be helpful to reduce morning breath and remove any sugar or acid left behind.