Brushing your tongue is such an important aspect of dental care and hygiene; however, many people tend to overlook it mainly because most of them aren’t aware of tongue hygiene.
As it turns out, just like how you brush your teeth twice a day or after every meal, you are also required to brush your tongue at least once a day. If you don’t, it can lead to serious health consequences.
Here’s what happens when you don’t brush your tongue.
Bad Breath
The first and the most common problem you’ll experience is bad breath if you don’t brush your tongue. The human tongue consists of super tiny spaces that allow odor-causing bacteria to hide, leading to bacterial overgrowth. This ultimately results in a nasty odor as the bacteria on the tongue start giving off an extremely foul smell.
Yeast Infection
Also known as ‘oral thrush,’ yeast infection is a condition in which the small amount of yeast present in the mouth begins to multiply in quantity. This develops into an infection at the back of the throat as well as on the tongue. Therefore, it is very important to clean your tongue in order to prevent the growth of yeast and bacteria in the mouth.
Black Hairy Tongue
This might sound like a made-up name, but it isn’t. Black Hairy Tongue is an actual condition that arises when the papillae on the tongue become stained due to leftovers from the foods and drinks you consume. The particles get stuck on the bacteria in the mouth, causing the tongue to adopt a black, hairy appearance.
If you don’t brush your tongue regularly and happen to be experiencing either of the above mentioned oral hygiene issues, book a consultation at Palani Center for Dental Implants where Giri Palani, DDS, FICOI and Dr. Palani will help you treat it.
