There are lots of ridges and bumps on the human tongue. All of these contours can hide plaque and bacteria that may be missed while brushing. People who have dentures have found cleaning their tongue very important to cleaning out plaque and bacteria and avoiding bad breath.
Cleaning the tongue is a simple process. After the dentures are brushed, go over the tongue with the brush while using a non-abrasive toothpaste. While brushing the top of the tongue, use slow circular motions and be sure to brush over the sides and tip of the tongue as well. This will effectively clean away bacteria and plaque and also give you fresher breath.
Using a tongue scraper is also a good way to clean off the tongue. Most tongue scrapers have a small plastic handle on one end and an edge on the other. To use a tongue scraper, sweep the edge end over the surface of the tongue. Try to avoid making too many overlapping sweeps and if buildup becomes noticeable on the edge, wash it off before making further sweeps.
It is still possible after all this for some bacteria to have been missed while cleaning. This bacteria can give you bad breath and promote plaque growth. Clean any remaining bacteria out by using an antiseptic mouthwash. This will give you fresh breath in addition to a clean mouth.
For any questions about cleaning your tongue or anything else, give Art & Science Family Dentistry in Woodbury, Minnesota a call at 651-739-1894 today. Drs. Kinney and Musser and their expert staff are here to serve!