You might feel perfectly comfortable asking us all sorts of questions about your smile when it’s about your lips, your teeth, or your gums. However, there’s something about tongue inquiries that can make patients feel a little uneasy. You may think you should already know the answers to the thoughts passing through your head. You may even be embarrassed about your questions, so you just keep them to yourself. We will always remind you that when you have an oral health question, getting it out into the open when you’re visiting us is the very best policy! Now…onto some questions and answers!
Questions and Answers
Question: I know that I’m the one in control of my tongue but I cannot seem to stop touching certain areas of my smile when something feels off. What should I do about this?
Answer: While you can make the effort to keep your tongue away from changes with your oral health, this can be difficult. It’s a natural response for you to use your tongue to try to figure out what’s going on! Whether you just got a new denture, your tooth hurts, etc., remember the following: For positive changes (like dental work), you’ll adjust and you’ll eventually leave the area alone. For negative changes that you haven’t seen us for yet, see us soon, so we can take care of the issue (and your tongue won’t have to do so much investigative work!).
Question: Is it weird to have bumps along the outer ridge of my tongue?
Answer: The “scalloped” line you see may mean you have bruxism, which can damage your smile. See us soon about this oral health concern, so we may offer treatment.
Question: How do I care for my tongue?
Answer: Brush it when you brush your teeth (gently). Or, try your hand at a tongue scraper if you like a smoother texture against your taste buds.
See Us About All Oral Health Issues
If you have a question about any part of your smile anatomy or any oral health detail, always feel free to ask. To learn more, or to schedule an appointment, call Creekside Family Dental Care in Columbia, TN, today at (931) 388–3384.