Brush My Tongue – Are You Serious?
Brush My Tongue – Are You Serious?
There is an actual condition called ” Black Hairy Tongue” when the tongue actually looks like the filaments on the surface of the tongue are covered with so much stained goo it looks black and hairy! A prominent dentist and lecturer, Dr Gordon Christensen, described this as, ‘the long hairy filaments that are on everyone’s tongue are covered with ‘bug poop’! Now that should make you want to brush your tongue!
Almost Black Hairy Tongue! Thick coating of bacteria and food products on the tongue
Note debris collecting on the tongue scraper
Solid tongue cleaner placed far back on the tongue
The tongue is considerably cleaner after a couple strokes of a tongue scraper!
Dr. Christensen whose company Clinical Research Associates, notes that about 80% of bad breath comes from bacteria on your tongue. There is so much surface area here and the potential to house a lot of bacteria and debris that it just makes good sense (plus it feels good) to brush your tongue. While you are at it, brush the roof of your mouth and the inside of the cheeks too! There are many things you can use to do this. A toothbrush works well, but for some people this causes gagging. Many companies make very nice tongue cleaners. We have a couple of these in our office to give to our patients who have trouble using their toothbrush. The scrapers really do a better job!
The tongue is considerably cleaner after a couple strokes of a tongue scraper, Imagine how nice it would look if this was done on a regular basis! Good oral hygiene just makes sense to incorporate as part of keeping your body as healthy as possible. For questions about this or any topic related to your mouth or oral hygiene, pjlease call our office. We are happy to help!