People usually think about their teeth when they think about bad breath. But the tongue can be an important part of the story. Mayo Clinic explains that the uneven surface of the tongue can trap bacteria that produce odours. The back of the tongue can be particularly relevant when dentists investigate the source of persistent bad breath.
This is easy to overlook because most people focus their brushing routine on their teeth.The tongue, however, is not a smooth surface. Its texture can create areas where bacteria and food particles remain.
That means someone can brush their teeth regularly while still leaving an important part of the mouth relatively untouched.
The NHS recommends gently cleaning the tongue once a day as part of keeping the mouth clean. This does not mean people should aggressively scrape or brush their tongue. The goal is simply to keep the mouth clean without damaging the gums or tongue.
The tongue is also a reminder that oral hygiene is more than just having clean-looking teeth. A person can have teeth that appear perfectly clean while bacteria elsewhere in the mouth contribute to an unpleasant smell.
That may explain why some people are surprised when they discover that tongue cleaning is part of the advice given for bad breath. Perhaps we spend too much time looking at our teeth and not enough time thinking about the rest of the mouth.
Could the tongue be one of the most overlooked parts of everyday oral hygiene?
