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The surfaces of your tongue have a plethora of textured areas and taste buds. The minute spaces between all of these various structures can potentially harbor bacteria and foster plaque formation. This could have the net effect of causing chronic bad breath. One easy way to remedy the problem or at least reduce the bad odors on your breath is to add a thorough tongue cleaning to your daily oral hygiene routine.

It can be added in right after you’ve completely brushed and flossed your teeth. You can use your still-wet toothbrush to brush your tongue with a gentle circular motion. Make sure you brush around the sides of the tongue and the rough surface of the taste buds. This will help clean your tongue from some bacteria and help refresh your mouth.

Some oral hygiene manufacturers also offer tongue scraper devices. Most come in the form of a small plastic handle with a mildly sharp edge on one end. When using a tongue scraper, you should work from the front to back, making multiple overlapping sweeps. If you notice a buildup of material on the blade edge, you should rinse it off before making another pass over your tongue.

Once your tongue has been cleaned, you can rinse your mouth with antiseptic mouthwash to wash away lingering bacteria and freshen your breath. Just keep in mind that antiseptic mouthwash can’t clean between teeth with the effectiveness of flossing.

If you have concerns about oral hygiene in Hopkinsville, Kentucky, you can always call Pennyrile Family Dentistry at 270-632-6404 to schedule an appointment with Dr. Joseph N. Falco.