Even if you brush and floss your pearly whites twice or thrice a day, you cannot think of going cavity-free.

This is because the bacteria residing on the tongue are not being addressed. Cleaning your tongue is recommended as it is beneficial in fighting bad breath as well as maintaining good dental hygiene. The tongue is a very important structure in your oral cavity and needs to be kept clean from food debris. It is advised to pay maximum attention to cleanliness of your tongue.

Why is cleaning the tongue important?

The tongue is a muscular structure that has tiny bumps on it called as papillae and there are grooves between the papillae. These are the potential areas on the tongue where bacteria can build up. Bacteria, dead skin cells and food particles will settle on the tongue. This gets covered by a very fine layer of mucus which covers the entire tongue. The bacterium that gets trapped on the tongue creates bad breath and a whitish discoloration on the tongue. These bacteria can get deposited on to the gums and teeth, thus increasing the chances of plaque and tartar buildup.

Cleaning of the tongue should be made part of the daily regimen for the following reasons:

• To remove the bacteria

  Tongue cleaning leads to removal of the bacteria and plaque that leads to gum disease. If this is not cleaned adequately, it can cause illness that can spread to other parts of the body. This improves the overall health of an individual.

• Removal of bad breath

  The germs that causes bad odour settle on the tongue and produces bad breath in individuals with poor tongue hygiene.

• Improve overall taste sensation

  By clearing the plaque and mucus layer formed on the tongue, the taste sensation improves. This will help you relish the food that you eat. The taste of food will increase with great intensity.

Techniques to clean tongue

Just as you brush and floss your teeth, it is essential to follow a routine for tongue cleaning. It is best to make tongue cleaning a habit. The ideal time to clean the tongue is once in the morning and once in the evening. During the day, if any foul smell is noticed arising from the mouth then rinsing with mouthwash is advised as it kills the bacteria. This helps in maintaining a fresh smelling breath.

The technique used to clean tongue is important. It can be cleaned by brushing back and forth, side to side and by rinsing your mouth with water. It is important to take care not to over brush the tongue as it can cause a break in the skin of the tongue. The tongue scraper can be used to clean the tongue.

Cleaning your tongue is a very important daily routine that should to be followed. Just like brushing and flossing your teeth regularly, tongue cleaning should be cultivated as a habit. This extra level of care which is often overlooked helps you in maintaining good oral hygiene and health.