Should I Brush my Tongue?

We’ve all said “Aaah” for the doctor at checkups. The Dr. is looking at your throat but also at the appearance of your tongue which can reveal a lot about your health. Your tongue can indicate issues in your mouth as well as the state of your overall health. Brushing your tongue after your teeth cleans food debris as well as bacteria that builds up. This is one of the most common causes of bad breath.

 The tiny bumps on your tongue are called papillae, giving it a rough surface that easily traps microbes. Of the 200,000-300,000 papillae, only about 10,000 are taste buds. A slight white coating is normal, but a thick white coating is a buildup of debris and microbes. A yellow coating may indicate oral thrush, a fungal infection. A black “hairy” tongue can be caused by smoking or consuming too much coffee, tea or turmeric. It is not actually hair but an overgrowth of bacteria. White or red patches that can’t be scaped off and are long standing should be checked by your dentist for potential oral cancer. A red, sore tongue can indicate a range of medical issues including nutritional deficiencies such as folic acid or vitamin B12, anemias or immune disorders.

 In addition to brushing your tongue, you can use a curve tongue scraper found online or in drug stores. Include cleaning your tongue as part of your oral hygiene regimen . If you find any chronic changes to your tongue as described above, you should have your dentist evaluate. If oral cancer is a possibility, a brush biopsy (like a pap smear) can be done to evaluate the cells and whether a full biopsy is needed.

 For more information, you can contact Dr. Michael Krochak at

drk@nycsmilespa.com

NYC Smile Spa

30 E. 60th St., Rm 1201

New York, NY 10022

(212) 838-2900