Are you wondering how to clean your tongue correctly? To do this, use a tongue cleaner or the back of your toothbrush, making gentle movements from the back to the tip. This simple habit eliminates bacteria, food debris, and plaque that tend to accumulate on the lingual surface and are responsible for bad breath and other oral problems.
Why is it important to clean your tongue?
The tongue is one of the areas of the mouth that accumulates the most bacteria. Its rough surface retains food debris, dead cells, and microorganisms that produce sulfurous compounds, responsible for bad breath or halitosis. Not cleaning your tongue regularly not only affects your breath but can also influence the formation of plaque, cavities, and gum disease. In addition, a clean tongue favors the perception of the taste of food, improving the eating experience.
7 Steps to clean the tongue
- Choose the right tool: preferably use a metal or plastic tongue cleaner.
- Stick out your tongue: this allows access to the entire surface.
- Place the cleaner on the back: gently, to avoid the gag reflex.
- Drag forward firmly but without excessive force: from the back to the tip of the tongue.
- Repeat several times: rinse the cleaner under the tap after each pass.
- Rinse your mouth with water or mouthwash: this eliminates the detached bacteria.
- Brush your teeth afterwards: this completes your oral hygiene routine.
If you are in treatment with invisible orthodontics in Malaga or have undergone dental implants in Malaga, this cleaning is even more important, as bacteria can accumulate more easily.
What can you use to clean correctly?
There are different methods to clean the tongue effectively:
- Tongue cleaner or scraper: Specific stainless steel or plastic tool designed to drag debris from the lingual surface. It is the most recommended option by dentists for its effectiveness.
- Toothbrush: Many brushes include roughness on the back to use as a tongue cleaner. Although practical, it is usually less efficient than a scraper.
- Mouthwashes: They can complement cleaning, but do not replace the physical scraping of the tongue.
How often should I clean my tongue?
Ideally, do it twice a day, after brushing your teeth:
- In the morning, to eliminate bacteria accumulated during the night.
- At night, before sleeping, to prevent debris from remaining in the mouth for hours.
This habit is easily integrated into the oral hygiene routine and takes no more than 1 minute. If it is also combined with the use of dental floss and mouthwash, complete oral hygiene is achieved.
What are the benefits of cleaning your tongue for oral health?
Knowing how to clean your tongue is not an aesthetic whim, but a practice with multiple benefits:
- Eliminates bad breath: the main cause of halitosis is the bacteria accumulated on the tongue.
- Improves the sense of taste: by removing the whitish layer that covers the taste buds.
- Reduces bacterial plaque: which helps prevent cavities and gum problems.
- Complements other dental treatments: such as dental aesthetics, prolonging the results of whitening, veneers or implants.
Final conclusion
Want to know how to clean your tongue correctly? Dedicating just a few seconds a day to this practice can prevent bad breath, improve your well-being, and enhance the results of any dental treatment you perform.
Do not forget that oral health not only consists of having white teeth and healthy gums: the tongue also plays a crucial role. Integrating this step into your routine is betting on a fresh, healthy, and lasting smile.