Tongue cleaning is a process of ridding the tongue of accumulated debris and bacteria that has been deposited there over periods, or by providing needed nourishment to the tongue. It is done with a tongue cleaner.Some people say that you can’t clean your tongue with tongue cleaner and believe it only requires regular brushing. But dental hygienists know just how harmful a build-up of bacteria inside our tongue can be its unpleasant odor and its effect on bad breath. So, pick up some tongue scrapers to tackle bad breath at the source.

Cleaning the tongue

Cleaning the tongue is an important part of oral hygiene. It prevents bad breath, improves taste and stimulates the senses. Cleaning the tongue is also one of the most neglected aspects of dental care. Tongue cleaning should be done after every meal and especially before going to bed at night.

The main purpose of cleaning the tongue is to remove bacteria, food particles and debris from its surface. Bacteria can cause bad breath (halitosis), tooth decay and gum disease as well as increase susceptibility to other infections such as pneumonia or bronchitis.

Food stuck in between your teeth can also create an unpleasant sensation when you eat or drink something cold or hot, which can affect your appetite and eating habits.If you don’t clean your tongue regularly, food particles will become trapped between your teeth and on your gums causing irritation that makes eating uncomfortable

White or black patches

A dirty tongue can even cause white or black patches to form on it over time. While cleaning your tongue may sound like a strange thing to do, it’s actually a very important part of oral health that shouldn’t be overlooked.Cleaning your tongue is easy to do and will help you feel more confident in how you look, as well as improve your breath.

Use a mouthwash

If you have a minty mouthwash, swish it around in your mouth to disinfect your tongue. This will remove the bacteria that live there and freshen up the taste. Don’t swallow the mouthwash, though.

Drink lots of water

You can’t clean your tongue if you don’t have enough saliva. Saliva helps to dissolve and wash away food particles from your tongue, so if you’re not drinking enough water, the food particles won’t be washed away and will remain on your tongue.

To help increase the amount of saliva in your mouth, drink plenty of water throughout the day. Water is essential for keeping your mouth healthy and hydrated, so be sure to drink at least eight glasses a day (or 64 ounces).

If you have trouble swallowing or a sore throat or other mouth problems, it’s especially important that you drink enough water to allow your body to function properly. The American Dental Association recommends around 8-10 glasses per day, but that number can vary depending on your activity level and other health concerns.

Use your toothbrush or a tongue scraper

If your tongue is coated with a thick, white substance, you might have a fungal infection called candidiasis.If you’re concerned about the health of your mouth, try to keep it clean by brushing and flossing twice daily.

Use your toothbrush or a tongue scraper to remove any excess plaque and bacteria that have built up on your tongue. If you use a toothbrush, make sure that it has soft bristles and that you don’t apply too much pressure.

Brush your teeth first

If you want to clean your tongue well, it is important that your teeth are clean.

• You can use an antimicrobial mouthwash or a natural toothpaste like baking soda and coconut oil.
• Let the mouthwash sit in your mouth for at least two minutes before you spit it out. This will help loosen up any bacteria on your tongue and make it easier to remove them with a scraper or tongue cleaner.
• You can also let baking soda sit on your tongue for several minutes before rinsing it off with water. Baking soda has antibacterial properties that will fight bacteria and help reduce bad breath.
• Use a tongue scraper or cleaner to remove the excess bacteria on your tongue.
• Use firm strokes from back to front to get rid of all the debris from under your tongue.

Scrape from back to front

Scrape from back to front. The bacteria that cause bad breath live on the surface of the tongue, so it’s important to remove them from the front of the mouth first. Use a spoon or toothbrush to scrape off any visible debris from the back of your tongue, then rinse with water.

Brush gently. Your toothbrush should be soft-bristled and small enough for easy access into all areas of your mouth. Make sure you brush gently so as not to hurt your gums or irritate sensitive tissue on your inner cheeks.

If you have braces or other dental appliances like retainers or crowns, make sure they’re thoroughly cleaned every day so that food particles don’t get trapped in them and lead to infection.

Replace your brush or tongue scraper

Your toothbrush can harbor germs that can cause bad breath and gum disease, two of the most common mouth problems. So it’s important to replace your toothbrush often enough so that it doesn’t have time to harbor these germs.

If you’re using an electric toothbrush, make sure you’re following manufacturer instructions when it comes to changing out brush heads. And if you’re using a manual toothbrush, replace it every three months but don’t forget about those replacement heads.

Conclusion

Allowing your tongue to become unclean can cause problems. It can lead to bad breath and even oral infections.Although the tongue is a very important organ, most of us tend to ignore it. With a little bit of effort consistent grooming of your tongue you can make sure that your body tastes good as this is the organ which transfers taste to brain.