When your child is a young child, you should attempt to instill healthy oral hygiene practices, such as consistent brushing and flossing. You might not have considered your child’s tongue since it can be difficult to get kids to perform these chores. Although brushing is crucial for preventing tooth decay and gum disease, along with exploring treatment for orthodontics near you, it’s important to scrub away the germs and debris in other areas of your kiddo’s mouth too.
Here’s why you should need to clean your child’s tongue in addition to their smile:
3 Advantages of Cleaning Your Child’s Tongue
Although there are several advantages to brushing your tongue, the primary advantage is improved hygiene. Considering that there are millions of microorganisms in your mouth, applying a brush sounds straightforward.
- To get rid of microorganisms
Between the taste buds and in the cracks of the tongue, bacteria thrive. Cleaning your child’s tongue can help get rid of extra bacteria that you (or they) might overlook when they brush their teeth every day.
Tongue scrapers can reduce germs in the mouth by 75%, whereas using merely a toothbrush only reduces bacteria in the mouth by 45%. Just by employing a tongue-cleaning instrument, there was a noticeable 30% change in germs. By assisting in the reduction of oral bacteria in your child, you can help them avoid cavities, gum disease, bad breath, and other related health issues.
- To promote better digestion
The treatment of breaking down food begins in the mouth, where unique enzymes in human saliva help the stomach and intestines have an easier time digesting it.
By brushing their tongues first thing in the morning, you may encourage healthy digestion all day long by igniting their digestive enzymes. You can also visit our children’s dentistry in Irvine. We will help your child develop healthy oral habits. This can provide them with more energy throughout the day, lessen stomach discomfort, and support good weight maintenance.
- To teach the importance of dental hygiene
Cleaning your child’s tongue at any age is a great way to help them learn the difference between a clean and a dirty mouth while also promoting good oral hygiene!
As bacteria frequently leave a white film on the tongue, urge your youngster to check it out in the mirror before and after brushing. Watch their reaction as they see the film disappear!
Additionally, your kids will be employing at least two senses (taste and sight) while cleaning their tongue, which activates many brain regions simultaneously and makes learning exciting!
How to Clean Your Child’s Tongue
Use a Toothbrush
It’s easy to clean your child’s tongue! Irvine Orthodontics recommends gently cleaning your child’s tongue for 30 seconds after brushing their teeth. You can either buy a special toothbrush with medium bristles or use their regular toothbrush. There are toothbrushes with tongue scrapers on the rear. You can wash your child’s teeth as usual with this toothbrush, then turn it over and brush their tongue for 30 seconds before rinsing.
Use a Tongue Scraper
A tongue scraper is a tool frequently used to remove bacteria from the cracks in the tongue and scrape the “film” off of the tongue. These oral hygiene tools come in a range of sizes and designs, some with a loop and two handles and others with a V-shaped shape.
The idea is to pull from the rear of the tongue or neck toward the front of your child’s mouth opening by pressing the V-shape or loop on the tongue. Talk to an orthodontist near you for more information.
Set Up an Appointment at Irvine Orthodontics
Have concerns or questions about kids dentistry in Irvine? Don’t be shy to email or call our staff members when it’s convenient for you and your family; you can also drop by our physical location and speak to a dentist in person. We look forward to working with your family!