Dentist Patricia Cabo has warned that failing to clean the tongue is the single biggest mistake people make during their daily oral hygiene routine.
Speaking to the publication El Confidencial, Cabo explained that effective oral care involves far more than simply running a toothbrush over teeth for a few quick strokes.
The doctor stressed that the tongue is the primary source of bad breath. She warned that pathogenic bacteria continue to accumulate on its surface over time, even when a person maintains an otherwise perfect standard of dental cleanliness.
Cabo urged people to clean the tongue every day as part of their regular morning and evening bathroom routine. She added that daily cleaning is particularly crucial for individuals who suffer from halitosis, the clinical term for chronic bad breath.
Why tongue hygiene matters for oral health
The human tongue features a rough, textured surface formed by hundreds of tiny projections called papillae. These microscopic elevations create deep ridges and valleys where food debris, shed skin cells, and salivary proteins easily gather throughout the day.
When oral bacteria colonize these crevices, they feed on trapped organic matter and multiply rapidly in the low-oxygen spaces. This metabolic process generates volatile sulfur compounds, the noxious gases responsible for noticeable mouth odour. Standard tooth brushing cleans the hard enamel of the teeth, but it leaves this bacterial coating untouched unless the tongue is specifically cleaned.
Dental practitioners generally recommend cleaning the tongue gently from the back toward the front tip to avoid triggering the gag reflex or irritating delicate tissue. Using either a dedicated tongue scraper or the soft bristles of a toothbrush helps lift and rinse away the stubborn residue before it can migrate to the gums.
When bad breath signals digestive issues
While localized oral hygiene resolves the majority of breath problems, unusual mouth symptoms can also stem from conditions deeper within the body. Gastroenterologist Anastasia Gostrous previously highlighted that certain underlying medical conditions produce a lingering, unpleasant taste in the mouth.
Gostrous advised individuals troubled by persistent taste problems to undergo an examination of their gastrointestinal tract. Common digestive disorders such as gastroesophageal reflux disease, chronic gastritis, and slow gastric emptying can allow digestive enzymes and stomach acids to rise into the throat. When acid washes up into the oral cavity, it produces a bitter or sour sensation that regular tooth brushing cannot fix on its own.
