From an early age, they try to teach us how important it is to maintain proper oral hygiene. Our smile and our breath say a lot about us. But have you ever heard of the tongue cleaner? As you well know, to be able to really clean our mouth and our teeth, it is not enough to brush them twice a day. In fact, dentists strongly insist on performing this habit correctly: it is important to brush your teeth correctly after each meal. In addition, we also recommend using, at least once a day, a mouthwash and dental floss. All these measures seek the same thing: remove all food and bacteria from our teeth and oral mucous membranes. When we fail to carry out this cleaning correctly, these remains accumulate. For example, it usually happens in our language. Therefore, in this article we explain what a lingual cleanser is and why it is so important that you include it in your hygiene.
What is a tongue cleaner?
The tongue cleaner is a small utensil that is also called a tongue scraper. Although there are different types, it is usually U-shaped. It is used to remove all food and bacteria that may remain after brushing teeth from the surface of the tongue.
This is very important because, although many people do not know it, in our language the bacteria guilty of a halitosis problem can also reside, for example. Halitosis, or bad breath, is the set of unpleasant odors that occurs in our mouth.
Most cases of halitosis occur precisely because they fail to perform a proper cleaning of our mouth.
When this occurs, food debris, bacteria and saliva accumulate. A thin and transparent film called bacterial plaque is formed. The action of these bacteria is to blame for the unpleasant smell that is created. Therefore, it is very important to pay attention to all corners of the mouth, including the tongue. Thus, we can thoroughly clean all areas.
What is the efficiency of the tongue cleaner?
Even if you take proper hygiene and brush your tongue with your usual brush, it may not be enough. According to dentists, a tongue cleaner is almost 30% more effective in eliminating all bacteria from the tongue. In addition, it allows to reach areas farther from the tongue than the brush and less aggressively. Similarly, it is a very cheap and easy to obtain tool in any pharmacy and even in some supermarkets. Getting a complete oral hygiene routine can help you not only prevent bad breath, but also allow you to avoid many diseases and infections, such as periodontal disease.
How is a tongue cleaner used?
To use a lingual cleanser, you should include it in your normal hygiene routine and do it when you brush your teeth. You can do it at any time of the day, but in the morning it is a little more important that you use it, since during the night many germs accumulate in our mouth. Ideally, you do it in front of a mirror, because that way you can see your tongue and try to reach it everywhere. Try to wipe the entire surface of the tongue with the cleaner, starting with the deepest part. It is essential that you make the movement out, to try to drag all the bacteria to the tip of the tongue outwards. Repeat the movement three or four times. Do not forget to rinse and properly store the cleaner.