As you think through your morning routine each day, what first comes to mind? For many, a normal morning might include brushing your teeth, showering, washing your face, styling your hair, moisturizing, putting on makeup, wearing deodorant, getting dressed, putting on jewelry, and perhaps even flossing and rinsing with mouthwash to feel extra clean!

Everybody wants to start their day with a fresh breath, right? But does brushing your tongue ever make an appearance in your personal hygiene routine? 

While brushing your tongue might not be the first thing on your mind when it comes to maintaining your personal hygiene, it is a healthy and good habit to help keep your mouth fresh and clean! This is beneficial not only for you but for your partner or anyone you are close enough to throughout the day who can smell your breath. But does brushing your tongue prevent bad breath?

Brushing your tongue is a healthy and important step in eliminating bacteria from your mouth. You can use your toothbrush to brush your tongue, or you can use a tongue scraper to help rid your tongue of bacteria efficiently. So, is it that easy? Does brushing your tongue prevent bad breath for good? 

While brushing your tongue will help eliminate bacteria in your mouth that causes bad breath, it isn’t a complete fix. According to the ADA, there is no evidence that brushing your tongue alone will prevent bad breath. In fact, bacteria that cause bad breath can come back immediately after you brush your tongue.

While brushing your tongue isn’t a necessary step in your daily oral hygiene routine, it definitely doesn’t hurt! In fact, you might find that you like how clean your mouth feels after scraping or brushing your tongue.

So, if the bacteria on your tongue isn’t the only cause of bad breath, what is?

The most common cause of bad breath is bacteria in your mouth, not just your tongue. Decay on your teeth or in between your teeth causes bacteria to form and stay. That’s why brushing your teeth and flossing your teeth when you wake up and before you sleep are so important. 

If you like to go the extra mile for that clean mouth feeling, brush and floss your teeth after each meal as well to help keep bacteria from forming between your teeth! Keep a travel toothbrush and toothpaste set in your desk, along with this handy floss dispenser to help you remember to floss and brush your teeth after lunch! This will help you maintain fresh breath and healthy teeth!

Gum disease, or periodontal disease, is caused by plaque (that nasty bacteria we fight against every day) buildup on or between your teeth. The bacteria cause an infection of the tissues that surround your teeth. Gum disease doesn’t only cause bad breath, but it can also cause tooth loss since your teeth rely on healthy gum tissue for support.

Gum disease is usually painless, so many patients aren’t aware they have it. Another reason it’s so important to schedule regular dental cleanings and checkups with your dentist. While gum disease is usually painless, there are some signs you can look out for that may indicate you have gum disease. 

• Your gums bleed easily when brushing or flossing
• Constant bad breath or always having a bad taste in your mouth
• Red or swollen gums that are uncomfortable or tender 
• Gums pulling away from your teeth 
• Permanent teeth that become loose 
• Teeth begin to separate 

Call your dentist to schedule a checkup if you are experiencing any of these symptoms.

Bacteria don’t just stick to your teeth; it stays on your tongue and cheeks too! Food and drinks cover your whole mouth, not just your teeth. That’s why it’s important to clean your entire mouth and not just focus on your teeth alone. Your saliva also contains bacteria that stay on your cheeks and your tongue while you sleep.  

Brushing your teeth, brushing or scraping your tongue, flossing, using mouthwash, and drinking water throughout the day are all beneficial ways to help rid your mouth of bacteria and help you have fresh breath.

Dry mouth occurs when your salivary glands don’t produce a normal amount of saliva for your mouth. Medications, aging, or specific medical conditions can all be main causes of dry mouth. Producing and swallowing saliva helps rid your mouth of bacteria that can cause bad breath.

Check out one of our dental articles on dry mouth to learn more. If you sleep with your mouth open, this can make dry mouth worse and cause morning breath! If you think dry mouth might be an issue, contact your dentist.

While specific foods and drinks may seem obvious, they don’t just affect your breath right after you eat. Certain foods are absorbed into your bloodstream and can alter the breath you exhale even after brushing your teeth, flossing, and using mouthwash. Some of the top offending foods and drinks for bad breath are:

• Garlic
• Onion
• Dairy
• Coffee
• Fish
• Sugar

While they may cause havoc on your breath, you don’t need to eliminate these foods from your diet! Just be mindful to brush and floss after you eat and drink certain things. If you can’t brush your teeth right away, rinse your mouth with water and keep sugar-free mints or gum handy.

If you’ve ever had a friend or co-worker offer you a mint or a piece of gum, you might instantly feel like you have bad breath, which may be their polite way of informing you! While bad breath is inevitable from time to time, there are several ways you can help prevent it as often as possible by keeping your mouth healthy! Remember these four tips to help prevent bad breath and keep your mouth feeling fresh throughout the day! 

1. See your dentist! Stay on top of your dental cleanings and checkups every six months. Receiving regular teeth cleanings helps prevent plaque build-up and cavities. These appointments are also important for your dentist to examine your mouth and teeth to ensure everything is healthy. Maintaining regular checkups will help your dentist find any issues early and address them before they become more significant problems.
   
2. Take care of your mouth every day! Brushing your teeth twice daily with fluoride toothpaste and floss, or use a water flosser at night. If you aren’t sure you’re flossing the right way, check out these helpful tips on the best ways to floss your teeth!
3. Use a tongue scraper. While the answer to our question, “Does brushing your tongue prevent bad breath?” wasn’t a complete yes, it is definitely beneficial to removing bacteria from your mouth to help fight bad breath. So, take 30 extra seconds during the day to brush the bacteria from your tongue! If you use a Sonicare toothbrush, try adding Sonicare’s tongue brush to your brushing routine. 
4. Rinse your mouth with an antibacterial mouthwash. If regular mouthwash just isn’t doing the trick, try introducing an over-the-counter antibacterial mouth rinse like BreathRx. 

If you already practice these four steps each day and you still struggle to maintain fresh breath, speak to your dentist about other possible causes that could be more serious. 

If you are ready to up your game when it comes to keeping your mouth healthy and clean, here is a list of some of our favorite dental products!

Philips Sonicare Prestige 9900 Electric Toothbrush

This sleek and powerful electric toothbrush removes up to 20 times more plaque than a manual toothbrush and focuses on whitening, gum health, and tongue care. This electric toothbrush connects to the Sonicare app to help you cover every area of your mouth! Its rechargeable battery and travel case allow for easy travel.  

iSmile Teeth Whitening Kit

The iSmile teeth whitening gel and whitening light tray kit break down stains on your teeth to help you have a whiter smile in only seven days! The whitening kit is safe on your enamel and developed by dental experts. 

M3 Naturals Retainer Cleaner Tablets 

If you wear any type of oral dental appliance, such as retainers, night guards, sports mouth guards, or aligners, it’s important to keep them as clean and free of bacteria as possible. These cleaner tablets remove odor and plaque buildup from your oral appliances helping your mouth stay clean and fresh! 

Philips Sonicare BreathRx Whitening Toothpaste

The Philips Sonicare BreathRx whitening toothpaste does more than just whiten your teeth! Its unique formula specifically fights bad breath and mouth odor leaving you with a white and fresh smile! 

Waterpik Cordless Advanced Water Flosser 

Help prevent bacteria between your teeth with the Waterpik cordless advanced water flosser. Choose between three different pressure settings to help keep your teeth, mouth, and gums extra clean!

How many times a day are you brushing your teeth? How do you maintain fresh breath throughout the day? Comment below!