Brushing teeth is a daily routine that we have to do every day, yet many people brush it wrong. Today, the topic #brushing your teeth without brushing your tongue is about equal to white brushing# on the hot search on social platforms, causing heated discussions among netizens.
Some netizens think that the tongue does not need to be brushed, because the tongue itself is moving, and even if there are bacteria attached to it, it can be removed by chewing food or the movement of the tongue; some netizens think that it is necessary to brush, because if it is not cleaned for a long time, the mouth will not only breed bacteria and cause bad breath, but also may cause gingivitis, periodontal disease, caries and other oral diseases.
Q: Do I need to clean my tongue when brushing my teeth, and what are the common wrong brushing methods?
AI answers:
Need. The back of our tongue is covered with a thin, white, moist layer of lichen called tongue coating, which is composed of exfoliated keratinized epithelium, saliva, bacteria, food debris, and exuded white blood cells. The thick coating on the tongue not only affects the appearance, but also makes it easier to accumulate bacteria and dirt, and if the tongue is not effectively cleaned for a long time, it will cause many problems and affect the health of the whole body.
Careful cleaning of the tongue coating every day can avoid bad breath, prevent the worsening of tooth decay, and reduce the occurrence of diseases, but the gag reflex has become a problem for most people. In order to maintain oral hygiene, you can try to clean your tongue coating in the following ways.
1. Soft bristle brush or gauze. If you are accustomed to using a toothbrush to clear the tongue coating, you should choose a soft-bristled toothbrush, control the force, and avoid using too much force. You can also wrap gauze around your fingers and brush it from the inside of the tongue to the outside.
2. Tongue scraper. A tongue scraper removes the coating from the tongue, effectively reducing microorganisms (odor-causing bacteria) on the back of the tongue and relieving the severity of bad breath. When scraping the tongue, clean it outward along the base of the tongue.
3. Mouthwash. Mouthwash cleans your mouth, removes any remaining dirt, and freshens your breath at the same time. After scraping your tongue, you can leave the mouthwash in your mouth for a longer period of time to clean your tongue thoroughly.
In addition to brushing your teeth without cleaning your tongue can affect your oral health, there are also some incorrect brushing methods that can also affect your oral health.
1. Inconsequential type
Many people think that brushing their teeth is an inconsequential thing, as long as they "take a picture" every day, and it doesn't matter how long it is. Some office workers even feel that they can brush out the foam in order to be in a hurry, and the whole process takes less than 30 seconds.
2. Horizontal saw self-destruct type
Brushing horizontally can damage tooth enamel and can also irritate the gums. The enamel in the neck of the tooth is very thin, and if you brush your teeth horizontally for a long time, it will cause severe wear and tear on the neck of the tooth, forming a wedge-shaped defect of the tooth. The correct way to brush your teeth should be a vertical brush or a small area tremor brush.
3. Exclusive love façade type
Each tooth has five faces, and some people prefer to brush the tips of their front teeth because the tips of our teeth are the part that usually shows the most when we talk and smile. Some people avoid the gums and only brush the tips of their teeth when brushing their teeth, but the biggest killer of oral hygiene, plaque, likes to stay in the area close to the gums. If this area is not cleaned in time, the plaque team will accumulate and form calculus.
4. Do not brush the tongue type
Most people brush their teeth to the lip side and bite surface, but tend to forget the side of the tongue. So some people's teeth look good on the outside, but inside they are a different kind of "sight".
In the oral cavity, the lingual side of the tooth is often neglected and forgotten to clean up, resulting in plaque accumulation. This is also near the outlet of the salivary glands, where minerals in saliva can easily accumulate on plaque, which leads to a high incidence of calculus on the lingual side of the lower incisors. So, be sure to brush the side of your tongue when brushing your teeth.
Effective brushing methods should remember the "333" principle + Pap brushing. The "333" principle is to brush your teeth 3 times a day for 3 minutes each time and within 30 minutes after eating. The essence of the Pap brushing method is the angle at which the toothbrush is tilted. Brush the upper row of teeth at a 45-degree angle with the bristles facing up and the lower row at a 45-degree angle with the bristles facing downwards, and brush every aspect of the teeth.
(Some text and images are generated by AI)
Co-ordinator: Yan Haiyan
Edited by Liu Shiya and Wang Shuai
Second trial: Hu Ying, Yu Hui
Third trial Tian Minjia