Why You Should Clean Your Tongue

You brush and floss, but you still have breath that could make flowers wilt. What gives? Perhaps you’ve been neglecting a key portion of your mouth during your oral hygiene routine - your tongue!

Why is it so important to clean your tongue? Germs builds up on it just as it does in and on your teeth. While it turns into plaque and then eventually tartar when not removed from your teeth, it can also build up on your tongue. Stick out your tongue the next time you’re in front of a mirror and have a look. You’ll see it’s covered with tiny bumps (papillae). That’s where germs, food particles, and dead skin cells can linger.

When this gunk gets trapped on your tongue, it can get it onto your teeth and gums. This spreads the germs around and creates that unfriendly, not-so-fresh breath. That’s why you’re probably running for your toothbrush right now to go clean your tongue.

How To Clean Your Tongue The Right Way

There are a couple ways you can go about rectifying the neglect of your tongue. First, brush it. Take your toothbrush and gently scrub your tongue. Don’t scrub too hard though or you can tear the skin. It’s a good idea to brush it back and forth, side to side, and then move on to cleaning your cheeks and the roof of your mouth too. Rinse afterward to get a complete clean.

Another way to clean your tongue is to use a tongue scraper. You can find them in any supermarket aisle with the other dental hygiene products. Some brands of toothbrushes also feature a ridged side on the back of the bristles that make it easy to flip over and start scraping.

With the tongue scraper, you simply stick out your tongue and apply gentle pressure, gliding it along to get rid of gross germs and debris. You’ll want to start from the back of the tongue and move to the tip. Rinse the scraper off, then repeat the process, being careful not to swallow all that germs. Yuck!

If you’re using a tongue scraper, it’s wise to do this step first and then follow it with your flossing and brushing routine. It may be just what you need to get that extra-fresh, extra healthy feeling in your mouth. When you clean your tongue and use OraMD products, you’ll have a naturally fresher mouth every time.

Should you take this extra and necessary step in oral hygiene and you still feel like bad breath is plaguing you, make an appointment with your dentist. It could be a sign of an underlying problem like an infection, diseases, or even certain medications and should never be ignored!

Looking for a 100% all-natural liquid tooth oil and mouth rinse? Check out OraMD Original Strength and OraMD Extra Strength. Subscribe to our Trusted Health Club newsletter for more information about natural living tips, natural health, oral health and skincare. If you are looking for more health resources make sure to check out the Trusted Health Resources list. 

About The Author:

Jennifer Raskin is a freelance writer, wife and mom that loves cold weather despite her location in Florida, cooking, reading, watching ‘80s movies, weight-lifting, and wine tasting.

Reviewed By:

Founder Ray Spotts has a passion for all things natural and has made a life study of nature as it relates to health and well-being. Ray became a forerunner bringing products to market that are extraordinarily effective and free from potentially harmful chemicals and additives. For this reason Ray formed Trusted Health Products, a company you can trust for clean, effective, and healthy products. Ray is an organic gardener, likes fishing, hiking, and teaching and mentoring people to start new businesses. You can get his book for free, “How To Succeed In Business Based On God’s Word,” at www.rayspotts.com.