"...And While You're in There, Don't Forget to Brush Your Tongue"

By Sheila Wolf, RDH

Believe it or not, your tongue is a source of many mouth odors and even halitosis, or "chronic bad breath." Don't believe me? Let's perform a quick experiment, one I've used with thousands of amazed patients in my chair over the years. Stick out your tongue right now. Now put it back in, go to a mirror and stick it out again. Notice the layer of film on your tongue. If you have never brushed your tongue, and chances are many of you haven't, the coating will tend to be quite heavy.

The thicker the layer, the longer it has been there and the more severe or chronic the malodor problem. Because the tongue contains tiny nooks and crannies like our taste buds, there are plenty of ideal places for the anaerobic bacteria (the bacteria that live without air) to hide out. There they produce Volatile Sulfur Compounds (VSCs) from the foods we eat, from bacterial waste products and from the natural process of skin cells that are sloughed off in the course of daily living. Some of these smells are familiar, like rotten eggs or something decaying; much like the smell of that forgotten meatloaf decomposing on the back shelf of the refrigerator.

Everything that goes into your mouth - meatloaf, tuna fish, popcorn, diet soda, corn chips, cough drops, chili, and coffee - passes over your tongue. The irregular terrain of this organ of speech and digestion creates a very fertile breeding ground for the anaerobes to do their thing. If the tongue is not regularly cleaned and oxygenated, the VSCs cause "stinky breath." According to current research, it appears that over 80% of all mouth odors come from the back surface of the tongue.

You ask, "What can I do?" Basically, it is very simple.

You must reduce the anaerobic bacteria in your mouth: between your teeth, under your gums, and especially on the back surface of your tongue. Every time you brush your teeth, think about your tongue.

Brush your tongue at least once a day thoroughly.

There are special tools called tongue scrapers sold in most department stores or pharmacies, such as your local Wal-Mart. Like your toothbrush, experiment with various brands and models of tongue scrapers, until you find the right fit. Then use a gentle scraping action from back to front, being careful not to go too far back, as you will invoke your gag reflex. Go back as far as comfortable and scrape or brush firmly but never cause your tongue to bleed.

I personally like to use a soft toothbrush to cleanse my tongue. Others I have treated have used a small spoon, a dull knife, a tongue depressor, or even a Popsicle stick! You can be creative with your homemade tongue scraper, as long as you remember to be gentle. The important thing is to "just do it!"

If your tongue is clean, you will enjoy a mouth that feels cleaner, tastes sweeter, and is definitely fresher than ever before. How about a kiss?

Mama Gums