Should Your Child Brush Their Tongue?

According to a study published in Environmental Health Perspectives , "An insufficient cleaning of the back of the throat may promote accumulation of respiratory viruses that might lead to common colds. This particular study also concluded that brushing your tongue could be much more important than brushing your teeth in the fight against respiratory infections. Of course take this with a grain of salt because cleaning every part of your mouth regularly is your best bet against disease carrying bacteria.

Is It Bad To Brush Your Tongue?

Simply put the answer is no, but you do need to take precautions when tackling this task. Brushing your tongue is not at all similar to the techniques we use to brush our teeth.
Using a toothbrush to scrub your tongue can cause small cuts or scrapes. As you brush, the bristles of your toothbrush have the potential to scratch your delicate, sensitive tongue causing it discomfort and even bleeding. This is especially true for people who may have their teeth slightly out of alignment because the outside edges of their teeth are harder than the inside where they might contact more while brushing.
However, if you want to brush your tongue, it's best to stick with a specially designed toothbrush or tongue scraper. A toothbrush can only get so far on the back of your tongue, which is why washing it in the sink with water meets the same end result.

What Are the Benefits of Brushing Your Tongue?

There are many benefits to brushing your tongue, but the main benefit is better hygiene. Your mouth contains millions of bacteria so, putting a brush on it seems simple enough right? You prevent tonsil stones by brushing your tongue. The best time for children to brush their tongues is after breakfast or dinner because at those times they usually have food residue on their tongues.
Bacteria builds up on the surface of your tongue every day, creating plaque that can lead to oral health problems if not removed. Brushing your tongue daily helps clean out bacteria and food debris that could potentially cause bad breath, tooth decay, gum disease and other medical problems down the line.
Both the American Dental Association (ADA) and The Australian Dental Association recommend that people use a soft-bristled toothbrush to gently clean all surfaces of their teeth including the tongue. Using a toothbrush with extra-soft or extra-hard bristles can cause damage to the gums and tongue.

How Should You Brush Your Tongue?

To begin, you will need a soft-bristled toothbrush and toothpaste. Put some toothpaste on the bristles and then gently rub the brush over the surface of your tongue in small circles. Be sure not to scrub too hard or press down as this can cause damage. Do this for as long as it takes until there is little to no paste left on the brush. Afterwards, rinse out your mouth with water to get rid of any leftover residue from brushing your tongue!
Think about how many times a day you eat...or drink...or even just have saliva in your mouth - that's a lot of bacteria! Brushing your tongue makes bad breath less likely and increases your chances at better oral health.

Why Should My Child Brush Their Tongue?

Over 90% of bad breath comes from bacteria on the back of the tongue, not between the teeth or on the cheek surfaces. That's why it's so important for young children and toddlers to get into good tooth brushing habits - they need to clean the back of their tongues too!
Once your child has turned six years old, you can encourage them to use an adult size toothbrush with toothpaste twice a day. Make sure you supervise your child when they are brushing their teeth, until you're happy that they've got the hang of it and know how to do it properly.
If you have any questions about oral health or need some advice on tooth brushing, contact Sweet Tooth Pediatric Dentistry - we'd love to help!

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