You brush and floss twice a day, but you could be doing your mouth a disservice if you aren\u2019t also attacking the bacteria living on your tongue. Whether it\u2019s to fight bad breath or just for good dental health, cleaning your tongue is important, dentists say.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Your tongue is covered with bacteria<\/p>\n

Coffee turns it brown, red wine turns it red. The truth is, your tongue is just as much of a target for bacteria as your teeth are, even if it is not at risk for developing cavities itself.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cBacteria will accumulate greatly in the areas of the tongue between the taste buds and other tongue structures,\u201d says John D. Kling, DDS, of Alexandria, Virginia. \u201cIt\u2019s not smooth. There are crevices and elevations all over the tongue, and the bacteria will hide in these areas unless it is removed.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Rinsing won\u2019t work<\/p>\n

So, what is this buildup? It\u2019s not just harmless saliva, says Kling. It\u2019s a biofilm, or a group of microorganisms, that stick together on the surface of the tongue. And unfortunately, getting rid of it isn\u2019t as simple as drinking water or using mouthwash.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s difficult to kill the bacteria in the biofilm because, for example, when mouth rinses are used, only the outer cells of the biofilm are destroyed,\u201d says Kling. \u201cThe cells beneath the surface still thrive.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

These bacteria can lead to bad breath and even tooth damage. Because of this, it\u2019s necessary to physically remove the bacteria by brushing or cleaning.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

How to clean your tongue<\/p>\n

Kling says you should brush your tongue every time you brush your teeth. It\u2019s pretty simple:<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

brush back and forth<\/p>\n

brush side to side<\/p>\n

rinse your mouth with water<\/p>\n

Be careful not to over brush, though. You don\u2019t want to break the skin!<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Some people prefer to use a tongue scraper. These are available in most drugstores. The American Dental Association says there is no evidence that tongue scrapers work to prevent halitosis (bad breath).<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

You brush and floss twice a day, but you could be doing your mouth a disservice if you aren\u2019t also attacking the bacteria living on your tongue. Whether it\u2019s to fight bad breath or just for good dental health, cleaning your tongue is important, dentists say.   Your tongue is covered with bacteria Coffee turns […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":8082,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[59],"tags":[260,235,230,233,261,268,91,61,264,240,245,72,237,244,242,243,101,122,239,263,246,241,269,226,80,254,251,234,114,57,255,267,258,58,116,102,93,249,248,250,262,259,252,129,253,257,227,266,232,236,256,231,145,247,265,238],"class_list":["post-8468","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-oral-health","tag-amalgam","tag-braces","tag-brushing","tag-cavity","tag-ceramic","tag-clearcorrect","tag-cosmetic-dentistry","tag-dental","tag-dental-anxiety","tag-dental-assistant","tag-dental-bridge","tag-dental-care","tag-dental-clinic","tag-dental-crown","tag-dental-equipment","tag-dental-examination","tag-dental-health","tag-dental-implants","tag-dental-insurance","tag-dental-phobia","tag-dental-restoration","tag-dental-surgery","tag-dental-technology","tag-dentures","tag-digital-dentistry","tag-emergency-dentistry","tag-endodontics","tag-filling","tag-gum-disease","tag-health","tag-implant-dentistry","tag-invisalign","tag-laser-dentistry","tag-oral","tag-oral-cancer","tag-oral-hygiene","tag-oral-surgery","tag-orthodontics","tag-pediatric-dentistry","tag-periodontics","tag-porcelain","tag-preventive-dentistry","tag-prosthodontics","tag-root-canal","tag-sedation-dentistry","tag-sleep-apnea","tag-smile","tag-smile-makeover","tag-teeth","tag-teeth-whitening","tag-tmj","tag-tongue","tag-tooth-decay","tag-tooth-extraction","tag-veneers","tag-wisdom-teeth"],"yoast_head":"\n