Cleaning Your Child's Tongue

Teaching your child good dental hygiene habits now will follow them into successful adulthood! That’s why our staff here at Kidz Connextion Dental & Braces recommend teaching your child how to brush their tongue at a young age. The tongue is often overlooked in the everyday dental routine. Cleaning it is just as important as your teeth or gums. That’s why our office has provided this informational guide to tongue cleaning.

There’s no need to worry about gum disease or teeth decay when your child cleans their tongue. Doing so dramatically improves their oral health. Before learning how your child should be cleaning their tongue, learn why. The answer is simple: the tongues natural stickiness holds on to unhealthy bacteria and food debris. This causes tooth decay and other dental problems. Brushing and flossing cleans the majority of your child's mouth, but not all of it. That’s where tongue cleaning comes in.

Sure, having your child brush their tongue is better than nothing. But most grocery stores and supermarkets sell small handheld dental devices called tongue scrapers. They are made for children too! The children sizes vary by age. You’ll want to buy a scraper that covers the entire width of the tongue.

Avoid having your child use a tongue scraper before the age of five years old. Model the correct way of cleaning for them. You should always clean your tongue first before brushing and flossing.

Place your child in front of a mirror so they can see themselves. Have them stick their tongue out. While watching themselves in the mirror, help them place the scraper towards the back of their tongue. Walk them through the process of gently stroking the applicator downwards. After reaching the tip, rinse the scraper off. Do this a few times until you’re satisfied that their tongue is clean.

Kidz Connextion Dental & Braces is located in three offices in the Phoenix, AZ, area. Find us on N. 75th Ave., N. 24th St., and E. Baseline Rd. Contact each office to schedule an appointment or visit our website.