What should tongue care look like?
Most of us think of everyday oral hygiene as brushing our teeth twice a day. Few use dental floss or mouthwash and hardly anyone remembers about tongue care. Meanwhile, it is the tongue that harbors the majority of bacteria that can cause bad breath. How to clean your tongue? What to do to keep it always pink, smooth and moist? We encourage you to read on!
Why should you clean your tongue?
The tongue is a very important organ in our oral cavity. Its main tasks are to bring food under the teeth, to soften meals with saliva and to move them towards the throat. It consists of mucous-covered skeletal muscles with three types of papillae: deciduous, surrounding and fungiform. A healthy tongue should be pink in color and have a smooth, moist surface.
Because of its structure, the tongue is a place where a lot of bacteria accumulate. The vast majority of them are harmless, however some of the microorganisms – especially those that remain in the oral cavity longer – can significantly threaten our health. Most often, as a result of bacteria lingering on the tongue, we face such problems as:
- bad breath – the most common problem associated with improper tongue care. The deposition of anaerobic bacteria on the back of the tongue causes an unpleasant tongue odor, which most of us try to mask with refreshing mouthwashes or chewing gums. The best solution, however, is to simply clean the tongue with a special scraper;
- taste problems – the taste buds located on the tongue are responsible for the perception of taste. If the tongue is not properly cared for, bacteria that accumulate in the mouth begin to cover the taste buds, which interferes with their proper functioning;
- oral mycosis – characterized by a white coating on the tongue, ulcers, burning mouth, cracks in the corners of the mouth and an unpleasant odor. Noticing similar symptoms in yourself should prompt you to consult a specialist immediately. In addition to improper tongue care, consuming large amounts of sweets, stimulants (alcohol, smoking) or hormonal changes can also lead to candidiasis;
- gum disease – the term “periodontal disease” is used interchangeably. This refers to all diseases that can affect our gums. Most often we have to deal with gingivitis, which can be relatively easy to cope with by paying more attention to daily oral care. However, if we do not take gingivitis seriously, it will probably soon develop into periodontitis, which may even result in tooth loss.
Effective ways to clean your tongue
As you can see, cleaning your tongue is definitely worth it. The more so as this activity does not take too much time – usually it is enough to spend on it no more than a dozen or so seconds. Most people clean their tongues with a bristle toothbrush, but specialists do not recommend this practice. Why? Firstly, by cleaning the tongue in such a way some of the bacteria are pushed further into the oral cavity, and secondly, we transfer microorganisms from the tongue to the toothbrush bristle.
So how should you clean your tongue? Here are three recommended ways.
- A tongue scraper – this is a specialist device used to clean the surface of the tongue. It costs only a few pounds, and you can use it to easily and safely remove all unwanted plaque. All you need to do is to run the tongue scraper over your tongue a few times, from the root to the back of the tongue. Remember to wash the scraper thoroughly under running water after each use.
- Garlic – a rather unpopular, little-known method for removing unwanted plaques from the tongue. It is recommended to use it only when you do not have the opportunity to clean the tongue with a tongue scraper. In order to deal with the plaques located on your tongue, you need to chew one clove of garlic for a few minutes once a day. This practice also helps the cardiovascular system.
- Turmeric – just like garlic it has antibacterial properties and like garlic you need to use it only when you cannot use a scraper. All you need to do is to mix a tablespoon of turmeric with the juice of one lemon and then rub the prepared preparation on your tongue. Leave the mixture on your tongue for a few minutes, after which you rinse your mouth with water. It can be used once every few days.
What if the home methods of cleaning the tongue do not work?
Are you diligent in your daily oral care routine, flossing and using a tongue scraper but still struggling with bad breath? Remember that you can’t use a manual toothbrush to remove bacteria from the hardest-to-reach areas, no matter how hard you try. If you’re still not happy with the state of your mouth, try a Smilesonic sonic toothbrush.
This kind of toothbrush cleans your mouth at an impressive rate of 96,000 vibrations per minute, which means it can eliminate up to 100% (!) of the bacteria in your mouth. You can find the recommended Smilesonic GO, EX and UP toothbrushes at affordable prices in our official online store.