Dr. D.P Mahendran

While the mouth has the maximum amount of bacteria in the body, the highest concentration of bacteria in the mouth is on the tongue. It is therefore important to keep a clean tongue to avoid dental issues, starting from plaque formation to severe dental and oral infections.

Why clean the tongue: Before talking about how to go about keeping the tongue clean, let us look at why it should be done.

1. Tongue cleaning is one of the main steps to maintaining a good oral hygiene.
2. The bacteria that cause tooth decay and gum disease reside on the tongue, and cleaning it can remove the bacteria and therefore reduce tooth decay and gum disease.
3. The bad odour produced by decay and gum disease can be avoided.
4. Detoxifies the body - it is believed that toxin accumulation happens on the tongue, so daily cleaning helps detoxify the body.
5. A cleaner tongue exposes the taste buds, thereby improving the perception of taste.
6. Stimulate various other organs -The tongue has like pressure points that connect to various other body parts, and cleaning it helps stimulate these. The tip of the tongue activates the heart; the sides are connected to the spleen, liver, and gallbladder; so on and so forth.
7. Cleaner looking tongue - Various food habits tend to give a color to the tongue. Caffeine, for instance, produces a yellow coating, which can be removed by regular brushing.

Choosing a tongue cleaner: Decide on the material and the type of the instrument. Either a plastic or metal or silicone cleaner will do the job equally well. In ancient times, gold or copper scrapers were used as it was believed to be good for health. Pick one of the three -tongue scrapers, tongue cleaners, or tongue brushes. All three are equally effective in cleaning the tongue of the bacteria. If required, motorized tongue cleaners are also available.

Technique:

• Timing: Good to do it first thing in the morning. Overnight, there is a thick coating of bacteria on the tongue, and therefore cleaning the tongue in the morning is a good habit.
• Swish warm water: Begin with swishing your mouth with warm water, which loosens up the microbial film and thereby making it easier to remove.
• Scraping/Cleaning: Extend your tongue and start from the back of the tongue, as far back as possible without gagging. Toothpaste can be used on the scraper or cleaner if required. With slow, sweeping strokes, clean all the way to the front and then sideways.
• Duration: It is good practice to brush the tongue for about 90 seconds per day.

Tongue cleaning is a simple and effective way to maintain oral and general health. If you wish to discuss about any specific dental problem, you can consult a specialized dentist and ask a free question.