top ten list for healthier smiles #6, brush your tongue

Top Ten List for

Healthier Smiles: #6

(210) 598-5321www.hensleedentalteam.com


#6 Brush Your Tongue

This week’s tip from the

professionals at Henslee Dental

Team has to do with the

tongue. This underappreciated

muscle deserves some respect,

so let’s start by learning more about it with a True or False test.


1. The tongue is a single muscle: True or False

False: The tongue is technically comprised of 8

muscles that act together to offer us a wide range of

motion. Bonus trivia…our tongue is the only

muscle(s) attached at only one end.

Tongue Trivia Test:


2. Tongues are as unique as finger prints: True or False

True: No other tongue looks exactly like yours.

3. All taste buds are located on our tongues: True or False

False: The majority of our taste buds are on our tongue

but not all of them. Taste buds are also located on the

inside of our cheeks, under our tongues and on the roof

of our mouths.


4. Taste Buds grow and change: True or False

True: Taste buds regenerate every 10 to 14 days.

Our taste buds also evolve over our lives on what

taste good. Infants are born with a natural

preference for sweet. It’s the body’s way of

protecting us against eating things that could harm

us. As we mature, so do our taste buds allowing us

to enjoy a broader variety of food.


5. The tongue heals faster than

any other body part: True or False

True: I know it doesn’t feel like it

when you have a cut on your

tongue and you are trying to eat;

but our tongues do heal faster.


6. Our gums harbor more bacteria than our

tongues: True or False

False: The papillae on our tongue houses our taste

buds and help break down our food when we

chew. Unfortunately, papillae are also good for

something else, harboring bacteria. 85% of all the

bacteria in our mouths can be found on our

tongues.


7. Tongues are responsible for 90% of

bad breath: True or False

True: Those papillae we talked about

that harbor bacteria also hold on to

odor. 90% of bad breath comes from

the tongue.


Questions #6 & 7 lead us to this week’s tip:

Brush your tongue. Sounds simple enough but

when it gets left out of our oral hygiene routine,

it makes a big difference. So make sure to give

your tongue some brush time.


If you suffer from chronic halitosis

(persistent bad breath), consider

using a tongue scraper. This small

curved plastic tool isn’t near as scary

as it sounds and can be purchased

at any drug store. Simply pull the

scraper over the length of your

tongue to remove bacteria the

toothbrush bristles can’t reach.


Don’t ever be embarrassed to discuss

halitosis with the professionals at Henslee

Dental Team. We are here to help you.

You can learn more about the causes of

bad breath and be sure to check in with us

next week as we continue our countdown!

If you are looking for a highly qualified family dentistry team, schedule an

appointment with us online at http://www.hensleedentalteam.com/

schedule-an-appointment/or call us at (210) 598-5321.


http://www.hensleedentalteam.com/schedule-an-appointment/

top ten list for healthier smiles #6, brush your tongue

Health & Medicine

tongue scraper

taste buds

false test

tongue trivia test

bonus triviaour tongue

harbor bacteria

causes of bad breath

henslee dental team