Clean Your Tongue Properly

The tongue has the heaviest bacterial amount of any part of your mouth. Nevertheless, many people do not take time to clean their tongue. When you do not clean your tongue properly, you can have negative side effects. Help yourself avoid bad breath, increased tooth decay, and an unsightly tongue. Make sure you clean your tongue properly.

Steps

Understanding the Tongue

  1. Check out your tongue. Look at the different parts of it. It is not smooth surface, and all those bumps and crevices can harbor bacteria. Half the bacteria in your mouth lives on your tongue.[1] This can form a film over your tongue, and contribute to a variety of health problems. Your tongue should be pink, and stark discolorations should be taken note of and remedied. Be sure to see an oral health professional if you experience any of these things:[2]
    • Strong concern regarding changes in the appearance of your tongue.
    • Tongue coating persists longer than two weeks.
    • If you experience persistent tongue pain.
    • White areas or desquamation on the surface of your tongue.
  2. Know how cleaning your tongue helps. When you use a cleaner on your tongue, you do more than just help fight bad breath. You break up the tissue on the tongue, which helps to avoid hairy tongue.[3] You also remove bacteria that can contribute to tooth decay. Poor oral hygiene has been linked to a variety of health issues, and this includes cleaning your tongue.
    • It controls unwanted bacteria that can contribute to tooth decay.
    • It fights bad breath.
    • Improves your sense of taste.
    • You get a better aesthetic when smiling or laughing.
  3. Talk to your regular oral hygienist or dentist. They will be able to answer your questions thoroughly. Don't just passively sit there during your dental appointments, ask questions when you get a chance. There is no substitute for the expertise of these individuals. Your regular dental health professionals will also be to advise you on questions specific to your health.

Choosing a Tool

  1. Pick a style of tool. There are different types of tongue cleaning tools. Scrapers are the most common. Tongue brushes, while relatively recent, are also relatively common. “Tongue cleaners” are common tools that have a series of soft ridges for pulling across the tongue.
    • Research shows both tongue scraping and tongue brushing to be equally effective in reducing the plaque.[4]
    • Some combination scraper-brushes are also available, enabling you to brush while you scrape.
    • Toothbrushes with a tongue scraping feature were found to be just as effective as a separate tool.[5]
  2. Determine the material. There are many different materials that tongue cleaning devices are made out of. Metal, plastic and silicon are common materials. You may find that you prefer one material over another. Give a few different ones a try.
    • Stainless steel and copper are two common metals used. Scrapers made from these metals can also safely get placed in hot water for sterilization.
    • Plastic scrapers tend to much less expensive, but are not as durable, and will need to be regularly replaced.
    • Silicon edges may help to make scraping your tongue more comfortable.
  3. Compare brands. Because there are many different companies that produce similar products, it is important to look at the little differences. Contrast pricing, aesthetic and user reviews online, or even look for coupons before you shop. Ask an employee at the store about what brands are most popular.
  4. Buy your tongue-cleaning tool. Many grocery stores and pharmacies will sell name brand tongue cleaning tools. You can find a tongue cleaner at Indian groceries or order them easily online. The curved copper ones are simple, highly effective, and last a long time. Or you could ask your dentist or orthodontist for recommendations.

Cleaning Your Tongue

  1. Extend your tongue. This is so that you can access the full length. You will want to make sure you clean as much of your tongue as you can. By extending your tongue all the way, you can also help yourself avoid gagging.
  2. Scrape or brush your tongue from the back of the tongue to the front[6]. Do this repeatedly. It is said that it should be done first thing every morning before eating or drinking. It is recommended you do this at least twice a day, with your regular brushing.[7]
    • You will get a buildup of residue on the tool. Rinse it off, and continue until you've worked over your whole tongue.
    • Be gentle. Do not break the skin or push too hard.
    • Only go from back to front.
    • Take your time.
  3. Rinse your mouth. Use mouthwash and rinse thoroughly to wash away any remaining loose residue, and to freshen your breath.[8] Try swishing the liquids around a bit in order to make sure your tongue is thoroughly rinsed off.
    • Alcohol based mouthwashes can dry your mouth out.
    • Try using a mouthwash with hydrogen peroxide for extreme situations.
  4. Keep it up. Now that you've got the scraper and mastered its use, give your tongue daily attention. This is important. Making tongue cleaning a regular part of your daily habit.

Tips

  • A teaspoon makes an excellent and highly available tongue scraper.
  • You could use a toothbrush if you want, but be careful only to brush away from your mouth. You don't want to rub the dirt back into your tongue. Just follow the same steps. Make sure you get a soft toothbrush so you don't hurt your tongue. Toothbrushes, however, do not clean your tongue effectively as the bristles are made for cleaning the hard enamel of your teeth, not the soft muscle of your tongue.
  • Be careful with what mouthwash you use. Though most work well, they can do more harm than good as they can burn and irritate your tongue/taste buds and inflame them. Buy mouthwash that's gentle.
  • Don't use alcoholic mouthwashes; they can irritate the inside of your tongue for some people.
  • If you usually breathe through your mouth, breathe through your nose when cleaning your tongue to help avoid gagging.

Warnings

  • Don't scrape too hard and damage your tongue. It'll take a couple of days to heal.

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ http://www.dentalhealthweek.com.au/Parents/Kids/tongue-cleaning.html
  2. ↑ http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coated-tongue/Pages/Introduction.aspx
  3. ↑ http://www.aaom.com/hairy-tongue
  4. ↑ http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4086606/
  5. ↑ http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19089259
  6. ↑ http://www.webmd.com/oral-health/brushing-the-tongue
  7. ↑ http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/bad-breath/in-depth/health-tip/art-20048785
  8. ↑ http://www.healthline.com/health/dental-oral-health/brushing-your-tongue#HowTo4
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