Brushing your teeth regularly is one of the cornerstones of good oral health. Along with daily flossing and the use of mouthwash, brushing twice daily will help keep your teeth and gums in the best shape possible. Of course, brushing isn’t just about your teeth; brushing your tongue, cheeks, and roof of your mouth is another crucial step in your oral health regimen. If you’re wondering whether it’s necessary to brush your tongue and the roof of your mouth, the answer is yes. Here are a few reasons why the oral health experts at ZDental recommend including your tongue and the roof of your mouth in your brushing routine.

Why You Should Brush Your Tongue

Your mouth is home to hundreds of species of bacteria, and they tend to settle on your tongue. Sugars in the foods you eat encourages the growth of these bacteria, and if you don’t remove them regularly, it can cause some oral health problems for you. These include:

  • Bad Breath – Also known as halitosis, bad breath can affect your social life in a big way. If you’re not brushing your tongue, it could be the root cause of your bad breath. Many byproducts produced by the bacteria on your tongue emit a foul odor, so getting rid of those bacteria can help to freshen your breath.
  • Black Hairy Tongue – When beverage residue, food particles, and bacteria build up on the surface of your tongue, your papillae and tastebuds can become stained black. This leads to a hairy, black appearance, and it’s a sign of poor oral health.
  • Thrush – The fungus known as candida is one of the many microorganisms that live inside your body. An overgrowth of candida is called thrush, and when it occurs in your mouth, it can cause white lesions, soreness, bleeding, irritation, and loss of taste. Thrush can also spread around your mouth if you don’t keep it in check.

If you want to avoid any of the conditions listed above, brushing your tongue every day is a great way to achieve that goal.

Why You Should Brush the Roof of Your Mouth

Your tongue isn’t the only place where bacteria and fungi gather; they also like to inhabit other surfaces in your mouth. These include the roof of your mouth and the insides of your cheeks. As is the case with your tongue, an overgrowth of candida fungus can cause thrush and bad breath. When you brush your teeth, it’s a good idea to spend a few minutes cleaning the roof of your mouth, your cheeks, and the area between your gums and cheeks.

While maintaining a home oral health routine is important for keeping your mouth healthy, it’s only part of the equation. Visiting your dentist twice per year for a cleaning will help get rid of plaque and tartar buildup that can lead to gum disease. Brush your teeth twice a day, paying special attention to the tongue and roof of your mouth, and schedule a dental appointment every six months for best results. If you are looking for a local Philly dentistry, ZDental would like to be a part of your oral health routine!

Head over to our contact page to find out which of our 5 convenient locations is closest to you and call to schedule an appointment today.