{"id":260,"date":"2020-05-22T18:17:51","date_gmt":"2020-05-22T18:17:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.darbycreekdental.com\/blog\/?p=260"},"modified":"2020-05-22T18:17:52","modified_gmt":"2020-05-22T18:17:52","slug":"cleaning-your-tongue-benefits-best-practices-and-a-better-smile","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.darbycreekdental.com\/blog\/cleaning-your-tongue-benefits-best-practices-and-a-better-smile\/","title":{"rendered":"Cleaning Your Tongue: Benefits, Best Practices, and a Better Smile"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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It\u2019s a beautiful Sunday morning. You wake up to birds chirping, a light beam of sun shining in, and the smell of coffee wafting into your bedroom. You roll over to say good morning to your significant other, but immediately regret your decision when you smell your morning breath. Does this sound familiar?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While brushing and flossing daily are important in keeping your teeth healthy, taking proper care of your tongue is a step that many overlook. And it could be the cause of insecurities stemming from bad breath. Here is everything you need to know about combatting this issue from a Marysville dentist<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

The Dangers of Not Cleaning Your Tongue<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Have you ever stopped to think about how incredible the tongue is? Each day it provides you with the ability to communicate with your loved ones and taste delicious meals. Despite it being an essential component of our everyday lives, most skip over taking proper care of it in their oral hygiene routine.  As a result, a thick layer of film and bacteria builds up. While initially it may seem like just an aesthetic issue, this build-up of bad bacteria can negatively impact your health. In addition to tooth decay and gum disease, a condition called \u201cblack hairy tongue\u201d can occur. This phenomenon occurs when the papilla on the tongue become longer and collect dirt, which causes it to resemble short hairs. The best way to combat these conditions is to clean your tongue regularly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Benefits of Cleaning Your Tongue<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Properly cleaning your tongue will do more than just avoiding unpleasant conditions like black hairy tongue. In addition to reducing bad breathe, cleaning your tongue properly can:<\/p>\n\n\n\n