Most people know they should brush their teeth every morning and evening, but surprisingly, many people do not know they should also brush their tongue to eliminate bad breath and harmful bacteria. Recent scientific evidence reports that in addition to tooth brushing and oral rinsing, tongue cleaning should be an essential part of oral health care. 

An early 20th century researcher recommended daily tongue cleaning when it was found that the tongue was a breeding ground for harmful bacteria. A clean tongue should be a healthy pink color; a whitish haze on the tongue is indicative of bacterial buildup. To clean your tongue, you can use a toothbrush or specialized tongue brush. Start as far back as possible and then make brush strokes using an outward motion, toward the front of your mouth. Use some pressure, but not enough to irritate your tongue. 
To further combat bad breath, schedule regular dental visits for a professional cleaning and checkup. It may be helpful to the dentist to keep a log of the foods you eat and make a list of medications you take because some medications play a role in creating mouth odors. Dentists are experts at treating bad breath, and you may be surprised at how quickly you can eliminate an embarrassing condition that you’ve had for years.

Bad breath (halitosis) can cause embarrassment, create social and psychological barriers, and even affect relationships. Some people with bad breath aren’t even aware there’s a problem. That’s because they probably used a mouthwash earlier in the day and the effects wore off.

The reason is that most over-the-counter products do not eliminate bad breath. They can only hide it temporarily. An independent study of fifteen mouthwash products showed that while they all masked bad breath after ten minutes, only a few were still working after a few hours. Additionally, most mouthwash products contain alcohol that dries soft oral tissue and ultimately leads to even faster formation of odor-causing bacteria. 

Mouthwashes are generally cosmetic and do not have a long-lasting effect on bad breath. If you must constantly use a breath freshener to hide unpleasant mouth odor, your problem may be more serious. So if the mouthwash cycle hasn’t been working for you, and you’re still concerned about bad breath, see your dentist. He or she can help identify the cause and, if it’s due to an oral condition, develop a treatment plan to help eliminate it.

Whether you call it bad breath or halitosis, it’s an unpleasant condition that’s cause for embarrassment. We’ve all had friends, relatives and co-workers with less than fresh breath. We turn away when they talk, or shy away when they kiss. Why? Because there’s just no easy way to bring up such a sensitive subject.

But your dentist is an expert in bad breath and won’t cringe at the mention of the issue. Dentists are taught in dental school about the oral causes of bad breath. They know how conditions of the mouth are affected by conditions in other parts of the body, and they may have a treatment that can help.

When you see the dentist, it is a good idea to explain in advance that you will be asking for advice about bad breath. Also, try to go with someone who is familiar with the problem, to help give the dentist an objective picture of how bad the odor really is, how long it has been going on, and when it improves or gets worse. Since bad breath often varies, a family member or friend can also help determine whether the odor at the time of the appointment resembles, both in character and intensity, the odor that is generally troublesome. If you have reason to believe that there is a problem, see your dentist.