Getting Your Teeth Clean is Just the First Step to Great Oral Hygiene

Smart individuals know that brushing twice a day and flossing after every meal keeps your teeth clean and prevents cavities. But millions of people still don’t know that’s just the first step in maintaining oral health and truly fresh breath (as long as there are no other dental issues).

Brushing and Flossing, But Still You Have Bad Breath

How many times do you brush, floss and even gargle with the most stringent antiseptic, and less than 30 minutes to 1 hour later you have that bad taste in your mouth? Normally, people do not know they have bad breath unless someone tells them. If someone does get up the courage to say something, the other person emphatically denies it’s not possible because they take great care of their teeth.

Each person is left embarrassed, and the bad breath situation goes on for years. What is it? How can I have bad breath when I take such great care to brush and floss every day. Not many talk about it or are even aware of the fact that your tongue is a breeding ground for bad bacteria. It harbors in your tongue for years.

It’s not just for people over 20. Children should be using the simple tongue scraper, too. Assure them it will get rid of all the “bad stuff” hanging out in their mouths.

Do You Still Have Shag Carpeting at Home?

If you still have shag carpeting at home, then you know dirt and particles get stuck in the carpet. You vacuum, but it’s not enough. Deep grime accumulates over time and goes to the deepest layer of the shag carpeting. You can’t really see the unhealthy grime, but it’s definitely there. Hiring a professional carpet cleaner to suck out all of the dirt once a year means you feel better about lying down or walking barefoot on the freshly cleaned carpet.

The same thing happens with your mouth. Consider your tongue that same shag carpeting. Imagine you’re 20, 30, 40, 50 years and older. Every single day, all those years have gone by and you’ve got putrefaction happening on the deeper layer of your tongue. It smells really bad, too! Remember that unpleasant taste on your tongue…it’s where you’re food and beverages have gone to die. Brushing your tongue never gets rid of the deepest layer of this bad bacteria that formed from your meals over the years. It only gets the top layer.

It’s Not too Late to Get Rid of All that Putrefaction

The good news is that it’s not too late to do something so simple, every time you brush, to use a simple device called a tongue scraper or tongue rake. We give away a free tongue scraper with every teeth cleaning, or you can just buy one right in our office when you visit.

After you are done brushing and flossing, and you can even use mouth wash next if you desire, take your new found tongue scraper and place it on the back of your tongue and scrape forward, to the tip of your tongue. Don’t scrape it so hard that you make your tongue bleed, of course, but enough to get into the lower layer and get all that putrefied bacteria out of your mouth.

Because you just brushed, you will certainly become a believer of what comes off that tongue scraper. It’s not your last cup of coffee (the color), it’s what’s causing your partner or friend to turn away each time you talk.  Taking that extra 60 seconds to clean your tongue after every meal means you’re taking all the “at home oral care steps” possible to increase your health.

Don’t Forget the Dentist and Dental Hygienist

Now that you know how to improve your own oral health to its fullest potential, the one thing left to ensure you maintain great oral care below the gum line is to see your dentist and registered dental hygienist twice a year. Approximately 70% of your teeth are below your gums, where plaque and tartar form gum disease, gingivitis and even periodontal disease. Having a professional teeth cleaning twice a year means you will avoid costly dental repairs later on.

Lakefront Family Dentistry and Dr. Derek B. Hauser, DDS, has treated thousands of patients over the last 20 years and helped them retain great oral health and prevent unnecessary dental costs. Give us a call today at (951) 244-9495 or Request Appointment Online. We look forward to having you as part of our family.

If You’re Looking for a Great CEREC Dentist, We Proudly Serve: Canyon Lake, Corona, Lake Elsinore, Menifee, Murrieta, Sun City, Temecula, Wildomar, and Riverside County, CA