Tips for Tongue Brushing or the care and feeding of your tongue! :o)

Always brush your tongue when your brush your teeth. There is no real reason other than you like the feeling to use a special brush or cleaner tool for your tongue. Although a good toothpaste will offer a temporary flavor, the brushing action is key to a clean and healthy tongue. A white coating on your tongue is a good indication that it's not clean. A lot of bad breath or halitosis actually comes from the bacteria that's on your tongue. Ick!

Your tongue should be a healthy pink color with minimum amounts of white coloring. That white coating is a hotbed of bacteria and a good place for food particles and other odor causing things to nest.

The good news about tongue washing however is that it doesn't need to be perfect or is even a big deal. I've used a simple washcloth on toddlers and babies tongues to keep them fresh and clean.

There are also special tongue scrapers and cleaners available, there is no real need for yet another purchase unless you like to use them. I prefer a nice terrycloth washcloth to even a toothbrush.

Although a toothbrush will work fine, you should choose a soft bristle brush for all your dental needs including tongue cleaning. The harder the bristles, the greater chance of causing damage to your tongue, tooth enamel and gums. This is NOT GOOD!

When brushing or cleaning your tongue, don't clean so far back that it causes a gagging reflex. The idea is to loosen the guck on your tongue, like the plaque on your teeth. After loosing a simple rinsing washes down the food and bacteria leaving your tongue and mouth fresh and clean.

For an even more clean feeling, wash your tongue and teeth with a good, high quality mouthwash. By using a mouthwash in this way, you can get longer lasting effects from your good dental hygiene efforts.

This extra step is especially important for adults who eat strong flavored foods, smokers, and other coffee drinkers. All are much more likely to suffer from bad breath from their tongue. If a good cleaning doesn't help for long, the more serious problem of periodontal disease may be the fault. Usually, a good cleaning will slow the staining of your new whiter teeth and give you a great smile and sweet breath to make you look your best.