You are probably well aware that your tongue helps you taste food, talk correctly, and you may have even heard that it’s the strongest muscle in your body. However, we sometimes forget about our tongues unless we accidentally bite them, burn them, or get some sort of sore on them. Tongues tend to heal swiftly from injury. According to Guinness World Records, the most challenging tongue twister in the English language is: “The sixth sick sheikh’s sixth sheep’s sick.” Go ahead – try to say that six times, fast. Pella dentist, Dr. Jeffrey Allen, will teach you more about this vital part of your dental health.
More About Your Tongue
Your tongue has roles beyond housing 8,000 of your 10,000 taste buds (each of which has 50-100 taste cells). Tongues move the food you consume to the back of your throat making swallowing a snap. That pink muscle that is the only one in your body that is only connected on one end also has the ability to warn you of illnesses with the color, look, and bumpiness of your tongue. If you ever notice something unusual with your tongue, call your Pella dentist to get it looked at to rule out anything serious.
The Tongue’s Role in Bad Breath
Do you have issues with bad breath? Even if this isn’t a chronic problem for you, we’ve all battled with a little halitosis from time-to-time. Normally, we tend to think we can battle unpleasant odors in our mouths by brushing our teeth. In fact, many of the bacteria that cause bad breath collect on the back of your tongue. For that reason, you should make brushing your tongue a part of your oral hygiene routine. You may even want to try a tongue scraper to use during your dental self-care to get rid of some of the 15 billion different bacteria that have set up shop in your mouth.
Consult with Pella Dentist
Your Pella dentist provides comfortable dental care to patients of all ages. Call our 50219 dentist office at (641) 628-1121 today to schedule a checkup and cleaning, cosmetic consultation, or second-opinion visit. We are located on the west side of the historic town square in Pella, IA. Please see the map for directions.