4 Reasons to Clean Your Tongue

Brushing and flossing shouldn’t be the only steps included in your dental hygiene routine. Recent studies suggest tongue cleaning reduces harmful bacteria in your mouth. At Kidz Connextion located in Phoenix, your dentist is passionate about dental hygiene, including the importance of tongue cleaning. Here are four reasons to clean your tongue.

Combat Bad Breath

Do you suffer stinky breath and have tried everything from special toothpaste to mouthwash with no results? A 2014 study by the Journal of Periodontology revealed that cleaning your tongue is one solution to reduce bad breath. The study discovered tongue cleaning removes up to 75 percent of the compounds that cause bad breath versus a toothbrush only removes 45 percent of the tongue’s compounds.

Eliminate White Tongue

A white tongue is a condition that results from poor hygiene, trapping bacteria and debris into the tongue’s tiny bumps, or papillae. Your Phoenix, AZ dentists advise a gentle scraping of the tongue to solve this usually harmless condition.

Reduce Plaque

Plaque is a thin sticky film of bacteria typically found on your teeth and tongue. Regular flossing and brushing removes this bacteria on your teeth, but what about your tongue? That’s why tongue cleaning is important for removing these harmful bacteria and preventing plaque from spreading across your body through your saliva. 

Improve Taste

It’s no wonder your tongue’s build-up of bacteria and plaque has a profound effect on taste. According to a study published in the Journal of Clinical Periodontology, taste sensations improved significantly after two weeks of tongue cleaning using a tongue scraper. 

Kidz Connextion has three convenient locations in Phoenix, Arizona. To schedule an appointment at 2533 N 75th St, text 623-232-0749. For our office at 2046 N 24th St, text 480-666-5984. For our office at 524 E Baseline Rd, text 480-405-4714. Or, visit Kidz Connextion on our website.