What Happens When You Don't Clean Your Tongue?

#1

You brush your teeth after every meal and floss on the regular before going to sleep. But if you're not taking a few minutes out of your day to brush your tongue as well, your oral health habits need an upgrade.

#2

Tongue cleaning is an important hygienic practice that helps in removal of dead skin cells, bacteria, toxins, fungi and food debris from the surface of the tongue. Most of the stench causing bacteria stay around and on your tongue. Tongue cleaning can help us with a variety of health issues. It boost your immune system, helps in digestion and thus, improving your dental health. On the contrary, if you don’t clean your tongue everyday, you can contract many health conditions.

"More than 700 different bacterial species live in the mouth," explains Vera W.L. Tang, D.D.S., clinical assistant professor in the department of periodontics and implant dentistry at New York University. Not all of these microbes are harmful. But when the bad ones set up shop and multiply in the crevices around the papillae, or small bumps, on the surface of the tongue, they can inflict some real damage.

#3

It is more important if you are pregnant or if you have a low immunity. Bacteria will grow on uncleaned tongue and will end up in producing many problems, ranging from minor issues like bad breath to serious concerns like infections. You don't have to spend hours to practice good oral health. Spending 5 minutes a day is worth for our overall health. You can get a tongue cleaner or a tongue brush to clean your tongue. Whether it is to prevent bad breath or to keep good oral hygiene, it is very crucial. Let us see what happens when you don't clean your tongue regularly.

Here are things that can happen if you don’t clean your tongue daily

#4 Bad breath

"Bad breath is the number one problem associated with not brushing your tongue," says Steve Cook, D.D.S., owner of Austin City Dental in Austin, Texas. How it happens: The bacteria making a home on your tongue begin doing what an overgrowth of bacteria everywhere do—give off a foul stank. The odor-causing bugs tend to lurk in the back of the tongue, he adds, which is why its important to brush back there if you want to get rid of the funk.

#5 Gum Diseases

Leaving your tongue uncleaned can not only cause tongue-related health issues, but also problems like gum diseases. Bacterial infections from the tongue can affect the gums as well. This will cause red, swollen and bleeding gums.

#6 Duller Taste Buds

When you don't brush your tongue, a nasty coating of bacteria, food particles, and dead skin cells called a biofilm can cover up your taste buds, leaving your sense of taste less sharp, says McClatchie. Get rid of the biofilm and your taste buds will get going again.

#7 Black hairy Tongue:

This the most long stage of an unclean and dirty tongue. This occur when the surface of your tongue is replete with leftover food and drink. But this is harmless and goes away once you clean your tongue properly. Here are no actual hair, but a fuzzy look on your tongue that make it look like a dark hairy tongue.

#8 Yeast growth

When you have yeast growth in your mouth, it can also spread to your gums and teeth. Yes, bacteria and yeast build-up in your mouth can cause severe oral and dental problems like gingivitis, gum inflammation and many other severe oral conditions.

#9 Tooth Loss

Not brushing your tongue can make your gums weak and susceptible to bacteria attack. This may affect your teeth in the long run and you may slowly begin to lose them. If you don't want this happen, clean your tongue regularly. Also, brushing your teeth for too long can damage your teeth. So, avoid doing that.

#10 Periodontal Disease

Bacteria on your tongue can get transferred to your teeth, which can then lead to periodontal disease. If your gums aren’t treated properly, this inflammation can turn into periodontal disease.

Periodontal disease is pretty scary. It can cause receding gums, infections, chronic inflammation, and can even make your teeth fall out.

Additionally, periodontal disease is linked to higher risk of miscarriage, stroke, and heart attack.

#11

By now, you'll probably want to grab your toothbrush and give your tongue a good scrubbing. Here's the right way to do it: Starting at the back of the tongue, gently brush toward the front, then go side-to-side. You don't have to use toothpaste, but it'll probably feel more comfortable, and the abrasiveness of toothpaste can help make cleaning more effective, says McClatchie. Do it at least once a day for a few minutes at a pop, but ideally twice, she adds.

Oh, and you've probably heard of tongue scrapers: tools found in the pharmacy dental aisle that are specially designed to remove bacteria, food particles, and other gunk from your tongue. While it's perfectly fine to use one, all you really need for effective tongue brushing is a plain-old non-tricked-out toothbrush, says Cook.