subject: Do I Have To Clean My Tongue Daily? [print this page] The short answer is: Yes! People have been cleaning their tongues for thousands of years because they believed it helped keep the mouth clean, fresh and avoid bad breath. Many scientific studies confirm this belief and demonstrate that thorough tongue cleaning as part of the daily oral hygiene routines helps improve oral health. However, regular tongue cleaning is not a common practice even among those who brush and floss on a daily basis; and often more than one. The reason for this is that the benefits of tongue cleaning are not widely known; even among dentists and other dental professionals.
Why should you clean your tongue?
Here are some facts:
Tongue cleaning is an effective way of reducing bad breath. While tongue cleaning alone cannot entirely solve the problem, it has a huge effect in diminishing the extent of bad breath in both adults and children.
The back of the tongue (the posterior part) is more likely to contribute to bad breath than the front of the tongue. This is because the front part of the tongue, which often brushes against the roof of the mouth while eating and speaking and therefore more likely to get self-cleaned as a result. In contrast, the back of the tongue does not have the same extent of movement which allows bacteria to grow undisturbed, contributing to halitosis.
To be effective, tongue cleaning needs to be incorporated into the daily oral care routines. Cleaning your tongue on and off will not have the same benefits.
Tongue brushing and tongue scraping are the most commonly used methods. Mouth washes or mouth rinses and special tooth paste also give a boost to effective tongue cleaning.
Tongue scrapers
In the past tongue scrapers were made with thin flexible strips of wood, different metals, mother-of-pearl, ivory, tortoiseshell, whalebone and celluloid. Most of the tongue scrapers on sale now are made of plastic. You can also use a small spoon inverted as a makeshift tongue scraper.
Tongue scrapers have an advantage over brushing because, in most people scrapers do not cause as much a gag reflex as does brushing, especially when cleaning the back of the tongue. Unlike brushes, tongue scrapers cannot spread bacteria from teeth to the tongue.
Tongue brushing
Tongue brushing is done with a wet soft bristle toothbrush and toothpaste or using a special tongue brush. Heres how:
Wet the brush and apply a pea-sized amount of toothpaste. Open your mouth wide, stick out the tongue and touch the back of the tongue near your throat, very gently with the brush. If you gag, move the toothbrush out a little lower and try again. Your gag reflex will reduce over time. Press down on the brush and make long brush strokes along the tongue all the way to the tip of it. Repeat by moving the brush to the left or right each time so that you cover the entire top surface of the tongue. Be careful because too much pressure can irritate or damage the tongue.
Rinse toothbrush once you have scraped or brushed the entire top surface. Then use far less pressure and repeat the same process on the underside of the tongue. If you feel any pain, lighten your pressure further. Repeat the process to cover the sides of your tongue as well.
Mouthwashes or mouth rinses
Rinsing the mouth thoroughly for at least a minute after tongue cleaning with a bacteria-killing mouthwash will help further freshen-up your breath. Once rinsing is over, spit out the mouthwash rather than swallow.
Types of toothpaste
Both anti-bacterial toothpastes and those that contain ingredients that neutralize volatile sulfur compounds which cause bad breath will be useful for this purpose. Some toothpastes contain compounds that help on both fronts. By using an antibacterial toothpaste with chlorine dioxide or cetylpyridinium chloride, you can get rid of odor-causing bacteria, further boosting effectiveness of your tongue cleaning effort. Chlorine dioxide and zinc are two agents commonly used in toothpaste that help neutralize volatile sulfur compounds.
Although regular brushing, flossing and tongue cleaning significantly improves your oral health, in some people, that may not be sufficient to alleviate bad breath. If bad breath persists, consult your local dentist to find out what other causes may be at the root of the problem. You can read more about bad breath , its causes and how to cure it in the Dental and Oral Health Problems section on the FreeDentistFinder.com article archive. . Also check out the Oral and Dental Health section for more articles on Dental Care Basics and much more .
