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Never Neglect Brushing Your Tongue, Cheeks, and the Roof of Your Mouth

Posted on 2/20/2020 by Janice K. Pliszczak, DDS

Since childhood, we are told that in order to have healthy gums and shiny teeth, we need to brush our teeth twice a day. Neglecting this practice and leaving our teeth unattended will consequently lead to cavities due to this bad oral routine.

What about the rest of the mouth? Have you ever sat to wonder if it is also important to brush the cheeks, tongue and the roof of our mouth?

Teeth are not the only things in our mouth that need cleaning. The tongue, cheeks and roof of the mouth also get into constant contact with food particles. Ignoring them would mean not removing those food particles, which may lead to additional bacteria and consequently bad breath. Similar to your teeth, these other parts require effective cleaning too.

The Tongue

Ignoring the tongue when brushing your teeth can lead to halitosis, also known as bad breath. Failing to clean the tongue on a daily basis supports the buildup of bacteria that starts producing a foul smell after sometime. As a result, gum disease may also occur.

The Cheeks

The National Institute of Health states that accumulation of bacteria between your cheeks can cause decay to the connective tissues that hold your teeth. If constantly swallowed, it can lead to the weakening of the immune system. Osteoporosis, which is accompanied by health issues and old age, has been linked to having poor oral hygiene.

The Roof of the Mouth

The same logic applies here, if you fail to brush the roof of your mouth, you provide a safe haven for bacteria to flourish. Bacteria will invade every possible inch of your mouth. For that purpose, you need to brush your teeth, cheeks, tongue, gums and the roof of your mouth for 2-3 minutes a day, at least twice.

For maximum oral hygiene, you should work closely with our office to care for your oral health. Apart from cleaning your teeth and checking on their health, we can give you more advice on how to make sure your smile stays beaming.

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"You are put at ease the minute you walk into their new office on Broad Rd. Beautiful and calming surroundings. The staff couldn't be more helpful and are extremely friendly. Dr. Pliszczak is exactly what you want in a Dentist. Always concerned with your comfort, I never feel rushed, and I enjoy here friendly manner. And because of all of their meticulously thorough work, My teeth are as healthy as can be!!! Thank you Dr. Pliszczak, Jade and Nancy" ~Roamy F.