Have you wondered why you experience bad breath even after brushing your teeth twice a day?

That means something has been left unclean. It could be your tongue!

Yes. Dentists recommend that your oral hygiene routine stands incomplete if cleaning of the tongue is not done.

Why is cleaning your tongue important?

Our tongue looks smooth and shiny at a glance, with no room for any build-up to occur.

The truth is that our tongue is laden with a thin film of bacteria, who are in the quest for food debris so that they can feast on them and multiply.

On a closer look, you will realize that our tongue has numerous tiny projections which are our taste buds. Between the taste buds, there is plenty of space for the microscopic bacteria to hide, thrive, ferment food remnants, and produce bad breath.

How should we clean the tongue?

Many of you may feel that rinsing your mouth thoroughly with water after having a meal or snack can clean your tongue.

That’s not enough.

Rinsing with water may wash out the loose debris and remove the outer layer of the bacterial film. But to ensure that the tongue is cleaned properly, you need to use a toothbrush or a tongue scraper.

While using a toothbrush, start working from the extreme back of your tongue and brush towards the front. Then rub the bristles from one side to the other. This will make sure that the entire tongue surface is covered.

Abstain from overbrushing your tongue as you just need to clean the tongue and not injure it.

There are few brands of toothbrushes with an in-built tongue scraper on the backside of the head.

A tongue scraper is commonly available in any of the drug stores, and they come in different designs and colors. Get a fancy one for your child so that he develops an interest in learning and performing the exercise of tongue cleaning daily.

Another tip would be to include a fair amount of raw vegetables in your daily dietary intake as these act as natural tongue cleansers.

Final Note

Cleaning the tongue is a simple procedure that can be incorporated into your daily routine. You will certainly experience a great improvement in your breath.

If the bad breath persists, consult your dentist as it could be due to some other reason.

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