5 Tips For Using a Tongue Cleaner to Ensure a Healthy Mouth
Most people know that brushing your teeth twice a day is the norm today and is really important for maintaining healthy teeth and preventing cavities. However, tongue cleaning is a vital part of the oral health routine that should not be ignored. The food we eat every day tends to leave behind debris not only in between the teeth and gums but also on the surface of the tongue, getting trapped in the cavities of the tongue, in some cases more or less, depending on the anatomy of the tongue.
Just like plaque forms on the teeth from everyday food consumption, plaque can form on the tongue and with it harboring microorganisms and bacteria. The result is most often bad breath. But if left untreated, for long periods of time, bacteria left lingering on the tongue can contribute to periodontal diseases just like plaque in between the teeth can. Periodontal disease has been linked to diabetes and artery disease, as well as stroke, so doing everything possible to prevent the build up of plaque and microorganisms that cause periodontal disease is the key to overall health.
Here are some tips for cleaning the tongue properly:
Use a Tongue Cleaner — you can use a toothbrush to clean your tongue during your everyday tooth brushing session, however, a toothbrush will not be as effective at cleaning off the bacteria and layer of plaque that harbors microorganisms as a tongue cleaner. A dedicated tongue cleaner that is designed to scrape the build up off your tongue will be much more effective at getting rid of the build up. Additionally, using a dedicated tongue cleaner is much more hygienic as it will prevent trapping additional bacteria in the bristles of your toothbrush.
Clean Your Tongue Daily — Cleaning your tongue daily should be a natural part of your everyday oral health care routine, along with brushing, flossing, and rinsing. Additionally, if you consume any particularly pigmented or pungent foods, you should clean your tongue after eating in order to prevent bad breath. If you eat garlic or onion, for example, cleaning your tongue right after will greatly reduce the odor stemming from having eaten those foods. If you eat chocolate or drink wine, there will inevitably be a color coating on your tongue, which can easily be removed using a tongue scraper.
Pick a Tongue Scraper That Works For You — There are many tongue cleaners on the market today, all designed to accomplish the task of scraping the layer of plaque and bacteria accumulated on the surface of the tongue throughout daily consumption of food. There are scrapers which are metal or plastic, ones with bristles on the ends and ones without. It may take some trial and error to find one that works for you, but the good news is that they are relatively inexpensive, but an incredibly good investment when it comes to long-term oral health. If your tongue has deep crevices, a scraper with bristles might be best, or if you feel your tongue is a bit sensitive, then a basic plastic one might work for you. You can start with one that you find at your local drugstore or Amazon, and see if it works for you and go from there.
Take Your Time — If you haven’t used a tongue cleaner in the past, it might be a bit of an adjustment to get used to it. Some people have a gag reflex which may prevent them from scraping properly. To help with that, it might be easier to start by stretching the tongue out fully, holding it stiff and scraping from back to front. After a while, the tongue should get used to the motion of the scraper and it will be easier to clean. Take it slow, and experiment with different speeds of motion and different styles of scrapers to figure out what works for you.
Focus on the center/back of the tongue — the tip of your tongue is generally self-cleaning due to the constant friction of it with the upper palate when speaking. It is on the back of the tongue where most of the debris accumulates and bacteria harbors. When cleaning, you don’t have to reach all the way to the very back but focus on the smooth central part of the tongue. When you stick out your tongue, it will be fairly easy to see the accumulated coating of debris and plaque, and you will see immediate clearing of it once you scrape the surface of the tongue. You will need a few rounds of scraping to ensure the coating is removed, but once it is, you will be left with a cleaner mouth and fresher breath.
When paired with a complete oral health routine including brushing, flossing, and rinsing, tongue cleaning can help prevent periodontal disease and other systemic diseases by removing harmful bacteria and microorganisms from your mouth and preventing them from invading your system. Not to mention leaving you with a clean mouth, fresh breath, and bright smile.
