Tongue Health

Oral hygiene encompasses your whole mouth, and while the majority of patients visit us due to an issue with their teeth, your tongue is an integral part of your dental health and should therefore be cared for.

Key advice that our dentists give is to always ensure you brush your tongue, as it can help remove harmful bacteria, which leads to fresher breath and can help improve your sense of taste. Some toothbrushes have a ridged texture on the back of the toothbrush head, which can be used to brush your tongue. However, you can also use the bristles to brush along the surface. Ensure you use a small amount of toothpaste when brushing your tongue to help remove debris and bacteria.

Although you may not know it, it is advised that you brush your tongue as much as you brush your teeth, and you can also use a tongue scraper, as they can improve tongue health and help remove dead cells. As well as brushing your tongue, scraping can also ensure fresher breath. Tongue scrapers work a little differently as they scrape across the tongue, removing anything that has collected on the tongue. Tongue scrapers should be made from plastic, washed after every use, and used gently. If any bleeding or soreness occurs, the scraper is being used too vigorously and causing damage.

If you are worried about your tongue, it is advised to visit your dentist to ensure there are no issues. A tongue should be pink, as this indicates it is healthy. Different colours can indicate certain issues, such as:

Red – some illnesses cause the tongue to appear redder than pink.

White – can indicate thrush, or if it is a white coating, it is usually a sign of poor oral hygiene or dehydration.

Yellow – can indicate illnesses such as liver problems or poor oral hygiene.

Black – can be due to trapped bacteria and debris, which occurs due to poor oral hygiene, medications, and smoking.

Purple – poor circulation or heart conditions.

Colour can be due to various reasons, and the above list is just a suggestion for what each colour could mean.

At Ilchester Dental & Implant Centre, many patients visit us due to severe dental pain, and as the mouth is a sensitive area, any amount of dental pain can prevent patients from going about their normal routines. Although it is a rare occurrence to have patients visit with tongue pain, any dental issue can, of course, inhibit being able to eat and enjoy food. Studies have shown that regularly cleaning your tongue can improve your taste, making it just as important as brushing your teeth.

Did you know… taste buds regenerate every 10–14 days?

The basis of good oral hygiene is regular dentist visits, and although these tips can help ensure your dental health improves, the regular visits can detect numerous other issues that may arise, even if oral hygiene is optimal. We offer hygiene appointments for £65, and these can make a huge difference to your oral hygiene. Our hygienist can also suggest any specific tips that could best benefit your oral health.

Our routine hygiene appointments are 20 minutes, but we also offer 30-minute appointments for patients who need a more in-depth clean, as well as Airflo, which helps to remove staining, and, where required, we offer periodontal treatment.

As the teeth are such an important part of oral hygiene, it can be easy to forget that the tongue also needs attention to ensure the best dental care. As mentioned, a healthy tongue should be pink, but it should also be covered in a rough texture of bumps called papillae. The surface of your tongue is, therefore, a perfect place for bacteria and other debris to develop, so make sure you remember to brush your tongue.

Why not ask your dentist about tongue hygiene during your next visit?