12 Jul

Why Your London Dentist Insists on Tongue Cleaning

Oral hygiene is not all about taking good care of your teeth. It also involves that you take the necessary precautions and measures to keep your mouth in good condition. When talking about oral hygiene, the first thing that comes into your mind is teeth. Most people focus more on the teeth and are hence baffled when they get oral ailments.
The answer lies in your tongue; your London dentist will say. Taking good care of your tongue forms a major aspect of oral hygiene and it is instrumental in keeping ailments at bay. It is very important that you clean your tongue daily in the same manner as you brush your teeth. Most people are oblivious of the importance of the importance of tongue cleaning and hence fail to realize the reason why one should.
The food you eat is mixed and broken down in the mouth. This whole chewing process works owing to a combination of functions performed by the teeth and the tongue. The teeth break down the food into smaller parts and the tongue helps in mixing it with the saliva present in the mouth. Once the food is properly broken down, the tongue transfers it from the mouth to the stomach via the esophagus. So there is always a high chance of food particles remaining on the tongue along with bacteria. This forms a layer on the tongue owing to its constant use and if not removed, it begins to rot and smell.
Bad breath is one of the most common ailments you will get if you were not cleaning your tongue regularly. Tongue cleaning also removes dead cell from the uppermost layer of the tongue along with bacteria and fungi which thrive on the residual food. So, tongue cleaning is as important as brushing and flossing.