Cleaning Your Child's Tongue

When Dr. Kathleen Falsey talks about cleaning your child’s mouth, she isn’t talking about soap and water! There are many ways to keep their mouth clean, including cleaning their tongue. At Bayberry Dental Care, we believe that teaching strong dental hygiene habits now will follow a child into adulthood. Try having your child brush their tongue daily. Contact our office in Tinley Park, IL, to know more.

 

Baby teeth, because they are meant to fall out, are much softer than their adult counterparts. This puts children at a higher risk of tooth decay. Tongue cleaning is a great way to reduce unwanted cavities. Tongues are naturally very sticky, letting them hold onto large amounts of bacteria and debris. Tongue scraping or cleaning removes these. Brushing and flossing can only do so much. Tongue scraping is the last step in a healthy everyday routine.

 

Your child can use their toothbrush to clean their tongue. Did you know that there is an even better solution? Grocery stores and supermarkets sell dental appliances specifically for tongue cleaning. These are sold for children too. Make sure that any appliance purchased matches your child’s age range. The right-sized tongue scraper perfectly matches the width of the tongue. Have your child wait until they are at least five years old before attempting to clean their tongue.

 

You’ll want to demonstrate and show your child how to use their tongue scraper. Stand the child in front of a mirror. Ask them to stick out their tongue. While watching in the mirror, guide their hand and tongue cleaner towards the back of the tongue. Help them scrap it gently down to the tip. Rinse the appliance off each time and do it again.

 

Every parent wants what’s best for their child, including their dental health. When you schedule an appointment at Bayberry Dental Care, you’re getting the best! To contact Dr. Kathleen Falsey at her office in Tinley Park, IL, call 708-802-8300 or visit her website at https://www.bayberrydentalcare.com/.