Tips On How To Clean Your Tongue

By Philip Yiga | June 30, 2016

Many people actually don’t know how to clean their tongues and this is not good because the tongue contains the heaviest amount of bacteria than any other part of your mouth. So, when you don’t clean your tongue in proper way, then expect to get negative oral-effects which may include; bad-breathe, tooth-decay, gum-infections and a lot more. However, if you decide to take of some time to thoroughly clean-up your tongue then you will be able to prevent most oral-infections and this is why I have decided to list for you some of the steps that will you clean the tongue properly.

 

SECTION-1: HOW TO CLEAN THE TONGUE:

1. Extend the tongue out of your mouth: you will begin by extending the tongue forward or out of the mouth so that you can be able to access its full-length. This will actually help you to clean-up a bigger section of your tongue and it will even help you avoid gaggling during tongue-cleaning process.

 

2. Brush or scrap the tongue: after, you will have to brush or scrape your tongue while moving form the back to the front section of the tongue. Clean your tongue every morning before drinking or eating anything and its even recommended to-do this for at least twice a day coupled with regular brushing. On the other hand, when cleaning the tongue you will see residue-buildup over the tongue-cleaning tool and this means that you will have to rinse-off this residue and continue working over the tongue until it’s completely clean. However, take your time and be gentle during the tongue-cleaning process so that you don’t cause any injuries.

 

3. Rinse-out your mouth: after cleaning the tongue, you will need to use a mouthwash to thoroughly rinse and wash-away any remaining residue and to freshen-up your mouth. Additionally, consider swishing the mouthwash around the mouth abit in order to ensure that your tongue is thoroughly rinsed-off. However, alcohol-based mouthwashes will dry-out your mouth so this means that you should consider using hydrogen-peroxide mouthwash for best results.

 

4. Regularly clean-up your tongue: you will need to give your tongue daily attention by simply scrapping it clean using your tongue-cleaning tool. In fact, making tongue-cleaning a regular habit will help to prevent several oral infections and diseases. So, if you have any oral problems like, gum-disease, tooth-decay, smelling-mouth and a lot more, then just consider brushing and cleaning your teeth daily in order to get rid of such problems.

 

SECTION-2: SELECTING A TOOL FOR CLEANING THE TONGUE:

1. Select a style of tool: tongue-cleaners are common tools equipped with a series of ridges used for pulling-off dirt across the tongue. There are actually different types of tongue-cleaning tools on the market but tongue-scrapers are the most popular. on the other hand, tongue-brushes are also becoming relatively common although they were created recently. However, studies show that both tongue-scraping and tongue-brushes are equally effective when it comes to reducing plaque on the tongue. Additionally, there are also combinations scraper-brushes that will enable you brush while scraping the tongue. in fact, toothbrushes equipped with a tongue-scraping feature were proven to be more effective than a single tongue-cleaning-tool.

 

2. Determine the tool material: tongue-cleaning tools are actually made out of different materials which include plastic, metal and silicon. so, you will have to choose a tongue-cleaning tool made form a material you prefer in order to satiny your personal needs. On the other hand, tongue-scrapers made from stainless-steel and copper are very durable and be sterilized by simply placing them in hot-water. Plastic tongue-scrapers are less expensive but aren’t durable and require regular replacements while a silicon tongue-scraper feels very comfortable to use over the tongue.

 

3. Try comparing the brands of tongue-cleaning tools: since there are different companies producing tongue-cleaning tools, it is very crucial to look at differences in their products and these may include; pricing, user-reviews, materials and a lot more before you make a purchase. On the other hand, you may consider asking an employee at a local-store about the best brands so that you can buy the best tongue-cleaning tool.

 

4. Buy the tongue-cleaning tool: you will now have to purchase your tongue-cleaning tool from any local-store, pharmacy or online-store. However, you may consider first asking your dentist for recommendations about the best tongue-cleaning tool before making a purchase.

 

SECTION-3: LEARN AND UNDERSTAND THE TONGUE:

1. Consider checking-out the tongue: if you look at your tongue, you will notice that it does not have a smooth surface but it features some bumps and crevices which can probably harbor bacteria. In fact, half of the bacteria within your mouth live on the tongue and these bacteria will actually form a film over the tongue and this contributes to several oral-health problems. On the other hand, your tongue should look pink and if you notice any stark-discolorations then you will have clean-up your tongue in order to prevent any oral bacterial-infections. Additionally, if you notice any pain and discolorations on your tongue for longer than 2-weeks then consider seeing an oral-health expert in order to get an appropriate treatment.

 

2. Know the importance of cleaning your tongue: cleaning-up your tongue regularly actually does more than just fighting a bad-breath. In fact, cleaning the tongue helps to break-up the tissue over it thus avoiding a hairy tongue. Additionally, cleaning the tongue greatly helps in the removal bacteria that contribute to tooth-decay and gum-disease. On top of that, a clean tongue will improve on the sense of taste compared to a dirty tongue. All in all, poor oral-hygiene is actually linked to a variety of oral-health issues and all you need to do to prevent such health-problems is to clean-up your tongue and teeth on regular basis.

 

3. Try talking to your dentist or oral-hygienist: talking to your dentist help you get the best answers on how to clean-up your tongue and teeth. In fact, don’t just sit and look during dental-appointments but instead ask several questions on oral-health. Additionally, your dental health-expert will also give you advice on how to solve certain oral-health issues so make sure that you pay them a visit for at least once in a while.