The tongue cleaner helps prevent bad breath, oral infections and a healthier mouth. Let’s find out more in this article.
From childhood, parents teach us that it is very important to maintain proper oral hygiene. Smile and breath say a lot about us. Have you ever heard of the tongue cleaner?
As you well know, to have a truly clean mouth and teeth, cleaning them twice a day is not enough. In fact, dentists insist a lot on this habit: it is important to brush your teeth correctly after every meal.
They also recommend doing mouthwash and flossing at least once a day. All these measures have a single purpose: to eliminate the remains of food and bacteria from the teeth and oral mucosa.
When we fail to properly clean our teeth , these remnants accumulate, including on the tongue. In this article we explain what the tongue cleaner is and why it is so important to include it in our oral hygiene.
What is the tongue cleaner?
The tongue cleaner is a small tool also called a scraper. Although there are several types, it is usually U-shaped. It is used to eliminate all food and bacteria remnants from the surface of the tongue , which can remain even after brushing the teeth.
This step is very important because, although many people do not know it, the bacteria responsible for bad breath can also reside on our tongue. Halitosis, or bad breath , is the set of unpleasant odors that form in the mouth.
Most cases of halitosis are due precisely to an incorrect cleaning of the oral cavity. When this happens, food residues, bacteria and saliva build up. This forms a thin and transparent patina called plaque .
The action of these bacteria is the cause of the unpleasant odor that is created inside the oral cavity. Therefore, it is very important to pay attention to every corner of the mouth , including the tongue, and to thoroughly clean all areas.
Is the tongue cleaner effective?
Carrying out proper hygiene and brushing your tongue may not be enough. According to dentists, a tongue cleaner is nearly 30% more effective at removing all bacteria from the tongue .
It also allows you to reach points further away from the tongue than the toothbrush and does so in a less aggressive way. Likewise, it is a very cheap and easy to get tool in any pharmacy and even some supermarkets.
Carrying out a complete oral hygiene routine can help you not only prevent bad breath , but also many diseases and infections, such as periodontal disease .
How do you use the tongue cleaner?
The tongue cleaner should be included in our regular teeth cleaning routine, so it should be used after brushing them. Actually, you can use it at any time of day, but it’s best in the morning, as many germs accumulate in your mouth at night .
We advise you to use it in front of a mirror so as to see the tongue and try to reach all its parts. Try to cover the entire surface of the tongue , starting with the deepest part.
The movement should be performed outwards to try to drag all the bacteria from the throat towards the tip of the tongue, then from the inside out.
Repeat this movement three or four times. Don’t forget to rinse and distribute the disinfectant properly.
Conclusion
The tongue cleaner is an inexpensive but very useful tool that helps us remove all debris and bacteria from our tongue, in order to avoid bad breath and possible infections or diseases.
It would be good to go to the dentist frequently for checkups and to clean your teeth thoroughly . However, including these tips for your dental hygiene routine will help you have a healthier mouth.
