Woman in a pink robe with a towel wrapped on her head is brushing her teeth while looking in a bathroom mirror. White tiled walls are in the background.

Should I Be Brushing My Tongue?

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Your tongue can harbor bacteria, which can cause a range of problems in your mouth. One way to control bacteria is to visit the dentist in Albany, NY, on a regular basis. You can also control bacteria by brushing your teeth and tongue. At Dental Wellness of Albany, we’re happy to help you maintain healthy teeth and gums through regular dental checkups and by providing good advice to patients. Do you have questions about brushing your tongue? We have answers!

What Are the Benefits of Brushing Your Tongue?

Brushing your tongue can get rid of bacteria on the tongue, which can help you keep a cleaner mouth. Since the bacteria on your tongue can lead you to have bad breath, it’s a good idea to brush your tongue every day, at the same time that you brush your teeth.

How Does Brushing Your Tongue Work?

If you want to brush your tongue, use the same soft-bristle toothbrush that you use to brush your teeth. Alternatively, you can also use a tongue scraper. To brush your tongue with a toothbrush, place the toothbrush near the back of the tongue, then brush forward and backward repeatedly. If you have a gag reflex, you may need to start by brushing the front of your tongue only. As you adjust to the process, you’ll be able to brush further back in your mouth.

Contact Us for a Dental Exam In Albany, NY

When was the last time you had a dental exam in Albany, NY? See the dentist every six months to have your teeth cleaned. During your next dental appointment, you can also take a moment to ask your dentist any questions you have about brushing and maintaining a clean mouth. Call today!

Woman in pajamas stands in bathroom holding a water flosser and looking at her phone, smiling.

4 Reasons to Use an Oral Irrigator

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To maintain the best oral hygiene, you’ll need an assortment of tools that include, at a minimum, a toothbrush and ADA-approved toothpaste with fluoride. Flossing is also an essential step, and can be done with dental flossing string or tape. But there’s another tool that can be used, and your dentist in Albany, NY hopes you’ll at least consider it for your family. That tool is an oral irrigator, and if you’ve never heard of it, you’re going to be surprised at all the great reasons to invest in one.

1. They’re Fun to Use!

Using an oral irrigator is like using a garden hose inside your mouth. Kids especially love the sensation of squirting water in their mouths and not getting into trouble with mom and dad! Seriously, though, oral irrigators help to alleviate the boredom that can set in around oral hygiene after years and years of flossing.

2. They’re Great With Braces

If any members of your family wear braces, oral irrigators are almost a must-have. They can get all kinds of food debris out that’s been trapped in the wires and brackets of braces. Even stubborn little bits yield once this steady stream of water has been applied.

3. They Speed Up the Process

It can take several minutes to successfully complete dental flossing. If you’re a busy individual who just wants to do a good job with flossing in as little time as possible, then an oral irrigator is the way to go.

4. They’re an Elegant Solution

Using dental floss or tape is messy—and smelly. It’s awkward to use, and the resulting old food debris on the string or tape isn’t pleasant. With oral irrigators, all that yucky food debris gets flushed out of the gaps in teeth, ready to be rinsed away with mouthwash or water.

Try an oral irrigator, and we think you’ll agree it’s a great solution for oral hygiene that will make your next dental cleaning in Albany, NY a breeze!