# Do you brush your tongue? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 13, 2007, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-brush-your-tongue/419088 "2007-09-13T16:45:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![poetwarlord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/db5fbb/32.png) [@poetwarlord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/poetwarlord)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2007, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-brush-your-tongue/419088/21 "2007-09-13T18:54:05Z")
Yes, I brush the top of my tongue very gently. I’m concerned that I might kill some tastebuds if I do it roughly. The idea of tongue scraping sounds painful. ---
**Author:** ![lobstermobster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobstermobster/32/10033_2.png) [@lobstermobster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lobstermobster)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2007, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-brush-your-tongue/419088/22 "2007-09-13T19:08:48Z")
And how! I love those new tooth brushes that have tongue scrubbers on the back of the toothbrush heads. However, I don’t find these are course enough for my hard tongue brushing needs and I use the bristles more times than not. I’ve seen a severed human tongue under a microscope (yay college!) and it looks like a field of mushrooms. Under every single cap of the mushrooms the white smelly plaque is stored. The only way to get it out is agitate agitate agitate! I cant brush my tongue without thinking about try ing to get into those mushroom caps to clean them out. That and flossing will make your breath sooooo much better. ---
**Author:** ![Auntbeast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Auntbeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Auntbeast)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2007, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-brush-your-tongue/419088/23 "2007-09-13T20:44:50Z")
I have brushed my tongue for as long as I can remember. I have been surprised by the number of people that don’t. If I’m in a rush and forget, my mouth feels like hell. Psychologically, it’s like not brushing at all. On another note, it seems I have something called “geographic tongue” which is rather embarassing at times. I’ve never noticed anyone else with it and before I looked it up online, I figured that the bare spots were the side effects of too strenuous brushing. ---
**Author:** ![lobstermobster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobstermobster/32/10033_2.png) [@lobstermobster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lobstermobster)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2007, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-brush-your-tongue/419088/24 "2007-09-13T20:59:47Z")
[QUOTE=Auntbeast] On another note, it seems I have something called “geographic tongue” which is rather embarassing at times. I’ve never noticed anyone else with it and before I looked it up online, I figured that the bare spots were the side effects of too strenuous brushing. [/QUOTE] Oh my god one of my friends has this. I didn’t believe her that anyone would call something “geographic tongue” it sounds like the most made up name I’ve ever heard. Hers is especially aggravated by cinnamon gum ---
**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2007, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-brush-your-tongue/419088/25 "2007-09-13T21:18:39Z")
I don’t because it feels strange to me, but maybe I’ll give it another try. I still refuse to floss though! ---
**Author:** ![Auntbeast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Auntbeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Auntbeast)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2007, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-brush-your-tongue/419088/26 "2007-09-13T21:25:31Z")
[QUOTE=lobstermobster] Oh my god one of my friends has this. I didn’t believe her that anyone would call something “geographic tongue” it sounds like the most made up name I’ve ever heard. Hers is especially aggravated by cinnamon gum [/QUOTE] It’s kind of interesting actually. The spots move around or disappear altogether. I’ve seen some pretty horrifying examples of it online, but mine seems to be on the minor side of it. It really does look like a map. ---
**Author:** ![Soul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Soul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soul)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2007, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-brush-your-tongue/419088/27 "2007-09-13T21:32:15Z")
I’ve brushed mine ever since getting it pierced three years ago. Otherwise, the bolt gets plaque on it, which is horribly gross. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2007, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-brush-your-tongue/419088/28 "2007-09-13T22:50:00Z")
I tried it, but it tickles unbearably. ---
**Author:** ![Ms.Pumpkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a87d85/32.png) [@Ms.Pumpkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ms.Pumpkin)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2007, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-brush-your-tongue/419088/29 "2007-09-13T23:18:17Z")
Yup, as far back as I can reach without gagging(and sometimes I do), sides, underneath, cheeks, the roof of my mouth, gums - basically every damn surface in there. ---
**Author:** ![Lanzy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/74df32/32.png) [@Lanzy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lanzy)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2007, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-brush-your-tongue/419088/30 "2007-09-13T23:24:25Z")
My dentist recommended scraping, so we do, it is better. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2007, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-brush-your-tongue/419088/31 "2007-09-14T00:23:41Z")
No, I don’t. I have the world’s most sensitive gag reflex. Sometimes it’s set off, just sitting in my mouth not doing anything. And yes, My Guy is perfectly ok with this. And yes, he brushes his tongue. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2007, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-brush-your-tongue/419088/32 "2007-09-14T00:44:48Z")
I do. I’ve been doing it for a long time, too. Male and 26. ---
**Author:** ![Lady\_Venom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9fc348/32.png) [@Lady\_Venom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lady_Venom)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2007, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-brush-your-tongue/419088/33 "2007-09-14T00:49:54Z")
I’m with panache45 on this one. My gag reflex is horrible. No problem with oral sex though. Strange. _shrug_ Getting my tongue pierced was a treat. It didn’t hurt, but I kept gagging from the feeling of the top ball on my tongue. Only took a week or so to control it. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![groo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecd19e/32.png) [@groo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/groo)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2007, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-brush-your-tongue/419088/34 "2007-09-14T04:02:27Z")
Used to brush my tongue; now I use a tongue scraper. [hijack] I work with some old, married guys with **Really Bad Breath.** How do wives of these guys put up with it? [/hijack] ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2007, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-brush-your-tongue/419088/35 "2007-09-14T12:11:22Z")
I keep the hair short enough that brushing is unnecessary. Real answer: I’ve never brushed my tongue, but I’ll give it a try tonight. I never really gave it any thought until I read this thread. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Chao\_Goes\_Mu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_chao_goes_mu/32/3191_2.png) [@The\_Chao\_Goes\_Mu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Chao_Goes_Mu)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2007, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-brush-your-tongue/419088/36 "2007-09-14T14:07:25Z")
Yes. Every time I brush my teeth the inside of my cheeks (my mouth cheeks, that is), the roof of my mouth, and my tongue get a scrub-down. I have a horrible gag reflex so I dry heave every time I brush my tongue. My SO sometimes starts gagging when I gag. Heheheh. She’s happy I have an immaculate tongue but she can’t stand the sound of the dry heaving. Heh, sometimes I actually throw up, which sucks because then I have to start all over. I’m kind of anal. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2007, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-brush-your-tongue/419088/37 "2007-09-14T14:22:53Z")
I do. Adds 5 minutes to how long it takes, but it’s worth it. ---
**Author:** ![JThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2007, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-brush-your-tongue/419088/38 "2007-09-14T14:25:33Z")
[QUOTE=Auntbeast] It’s kind of interesting actually. The spots move around or disappear altogether. [/QUOTE] Ah. Tectonic drift, then. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-brush-your-tongue/419088.md?page=1)