So you’ve got the toothbrushing technique down pat. But what about your tongue?! This is one area where oral hygiene is often overlooked. Cleaning your tongue is easy, simple, and time efficient, and besides removing bacteria from your mouth, it also freshens your breath!
Your tongue is covered with small papillae; microscopically, they look like little fingers or raised protrusions. These papillae hold most of your taste buds, but they are also a trap for plaque and bacteria!
If you notice a white coating on your tongue, this is most likely plaque. You may notice the plaque coating more if you have just ingested a colored food or drink; the coloring left on your tongue is typically dyed plaque and can be removed by cleaning your tongue.
After brushing your teeth, you can use a tongue cleaner to gently debride the surface of your tongue. These instruments can be found on the dental/oral hygiene aisle at most drug or grocery stores and, while not sharp, may also be referred to as a tongue scraper. The instrument is gently skimmed from back to front across the surface of the tongue to loosen and free bacteria that have adhered in the deep grooves. If you don’t have a tongue cleaner handy, at least use your toothbrush to brush the surface of your tongue to remove any residual plaque and bacteria.
You will be surprised at how much cleaner and fresher your mouth feels by implementing this simple step into your oral hygiene routine!
