Three Simple Tips To Keep Your Tongue Healthy
In terms of oral health, the tongue is one of the most overlooked areas of the entire mouth. However, just because it's overlooked doesn't mean it's not important. The health of your tongue is just as important as the health of your gums and teeth. Poor tongue health and hygiene isn't just a major cause for bad breath, but it can also give you clues about your overall health. Make certain you know how to properly care for your tongue to ensure good oral health.
Avoid Dry Mouth
It's best to avoid dry mouth. Dry mouth can have a negative effect on the condition of your tongue. When your mouth is dry, quite naturally, so is your tongue. When your tongue gets too dry, every time you scrape your tongue or even eat, this damage the tissues on the surface of your tongue, causing them to flake off.
This serves as trauma to your tongue and can be very uncomfortable. Dry mouth is brought on for a number of reasons, including certain medications. If you suffer from this condition, avoid high-sugar foods and stay hydrated to combat this issue.
Be Mindful Of What You Eat
Caring for your tongue also requires you to be mindful of the types of foods that you eat. Chips, crackers and other hard foods often make great snacks, but they can also cut your tongue. While this might seem like a minor issue, even a small cut on your tongue is ample space for harmful bacteria to enter inside and cause an infection.
When eating these types of foods, be sure that you are chewing carefully so that you don't cut your tongue. Eating foods that are too hot and chewing on ice can cause a similar type of outcome.
Keep It Clean
When performing your daily hygiene regimen, don't forget to spend a few moments cleaning your tongue. Every time you eat, drink or even open your mouth, you introduce harmful bacteria inside your mouth. All of this bacteria can easily settle on the surface of your tongue.
A tongue cleaner is the best way to keep your tongue cleaner. These small devices are designed to scrape off all the germs resting on your tongue. Even if you are properly brushing your teeth and using mouthwash, if you fail to clean your tongue, you could still suffer from bad breath.
Make certain you are keeping proper tongue care a staple in your oral care regimen—for more information, contact your dentist (like those at Malwin & Malwin Family Dentistry).
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