How to Brush Your Tongue Correctly

Many people entirely neglect their tongues when they're brushing their teeth every day. There are plenty of potential reasons for it, like simply not knowing that you should or struggling with the urge to gag while trying to brush the tongue. However, if you're not committing to this one step, you could be letting your oral health take a hit as a result. Here's why you should be brushing your tongue, and how to do it correctly.

Why It's a Must

The tongue is covered in bacteria, just like all the other surfaces in the mouth. When you brush your teeth and leave the tongue the way that it is, that bacteria quickly repopulates the areas of the mouth that you just cleaned. In other words, your hard work's efficacy is reduced.

In addition to bacteria, the tongue tends to have a layer of biofilm on it. This biofilm protects the tongue's bacteria, which makes using mouthwash by itself not the most effective way to clean the tongue. Getting rid of both the biofilm and the bacteria is a must here.

Reduce Gag Reflex

One of the most common problems that people have with brushing their tongues is that it makes them gag. However, there's a fairly easy way to avoid this problem.

When you brush your tongue or use a tongue scraper, start at the back of the tongue and move forward. Don't move your brush in circles like you do with your teeth. Simply start at the back, pull the brush forward, and repeat until you've covered the entire surface of the tongue. This should help to significantly cut down on your gag reflex.

Be Gentle

Just like your teeth, you should never be too rough when brushing your tongue. In particular, tongue scrapers can be valuable tools, but they can also significantly hurt your tongue if you're too forceful. Use them gently until you feel like your tongue is clean. If you're too rough, your tongue may bleed, and any bacteria in your mouth could potentially infect the tongue, making this something you should avoid at all costs.

Repeat

Finally, make sure that you're performing this activity twice a day—preferably when you floss and brush. This will keep the build-up of bacteria and biofilm to a bare minimum throughout the day and may help to boost your oral health overall.

If you still struggle with brushing your tongue, talk to your family dentist for additional advice.