Table of contents:
- Do you need to clean the tongue?
- So that the tongue is clean and healthy, what is the treatment like?
Talking about oral health, it's not just teeth that must be considered. The tongue is also an organ that needs to be treated so that the health of your oral cavity is maintained. So, does the tongue also need to be cleaned? Does the tongue also get dirty like teeth? Then how do you have a clean tongue? Come on, see the review below.
Do you need to clean the tongue?
Not only bacteria can stick to the teeth and over time it forms plaque to make cavities. The tongue can be filled with bacteria as well as teeth. If not cleaned, bacteria and all germs will collect and multiply on the tongue.
The surface of the tongue is covered with tiny bumps called papillae. It is in these papillae grooves that bacteria, dead skin cells, and small food particles can collect and accumulate.
The bacteria that collect on the tongue can become a nest of germs for the overall condition of the oral cavity, can also reduce the sensitivity of the taste on the tongue, even damage the appearance of the tongue so that it becomes white, and trigger bad breath
Therefore, cleaning the tongue should not be underestimated. As important as cleaning teeth, the tongue must also be kept healthy.
So that the tongue is clean and healthy, what is the treatment like?
Tongue scraping or tongue cleaner is a tool used to remove extra useless particles on the surface of the tongue. This tongue cleaner does not guarantee you avoid bad breath, but with a clean tongue, at least it minimizes bad breath and certainly keeps the tongue clean.
Tongue cleaners come in a variety of shapes and sizes, and work from the back of the tongue and work toward the front of the tongue. After cleaning the tongue, the oral cavity usually feels fresher.
In order to get a thoroughly clean tongue, here's how to use a tongue cleaner:
- Stand in front of the mirror, open your mouth and stick your tongue out.
- Slowly, insert the tongue cleaner into the back of your tongue. If you are worried about choking, you can start in the middle of your tongue. As you get used to it, you can gradually start cleaning a little further back.
- Slowly, pull the tongue cleaner forward, toward the tip of your tongue. Don't do the reverse from the front to the back of the tongue.
- Once pulled up to the tip of the tongue, use a washcloth to remove the dirt stuck to your tongue cleaner.
- Then repeat pulling back from behind to the front until all surface area of the tongue is clean.
- Wash this tongue cleaner with warm water and soap, dry it, and keep it in a clean and dry place.
- Perform this tongue cleaning routine like brushing your teeth.