Why Tongue Cleaning is Important?
The tongue serves 5 basic functions -
- Tasting
- Speaking
- Breathing
- Swallowing
- Chewing
The tongue is an important part of maintaining a healthy mouth. If you do not specifically concentrate on cleaning your tongue, bacteria and germs will shelter on the tongue surface and they will remain in your mouth. These germs and bacteria can then lead to health issues.
Cleaning your tongue can boost your immune system
Tongue plays an important role in your overall immunity. When toxins and bacteria begin to accumulate on the tongue they can be reabsorbed into your body. It is especially important to clean your tongue when you are sick, since coughing, sneezing and sucking of the throat lozenges can build up extra particles on the back of the tongue and your immune system thus becomes compromised.
Cleaning your tongue makes your food taste better
Scraping or brushing your tongue helps to unblock the taste buds which helps toimprove the intensity of food flavourand encourages healthy saliva productionwhich in turn improves taste of the food.
Cleaning your tongue helps in better digestion
Digestion of food starts from mouth. The enzymes present in the saliva breaks down food for easy digestion by the gut. Scraping the tongue is important for digestion because it helps to activate relevant enzymes that are required for digestion of food.
Cleaning the tongue improves bad breath
The tongue gets coated in a layer of bacteria due to several factors including poor oral hygiene, smoking, medication, tobacco chewing and dry mouth. Scraping or cleaning the tongue can help remove these bacteria. This cleans the mouth and leaves the breath fresh.
So, what can you do to keep your tongue clean?
Certain bacteria cannot be removed by rinsing. Even mouth washes and gargling won’t eliminate the bacteria streptococcus mutans and lactobacilli from your tongue since they are attached to the sticky film which is formed on the tongue. So, you will have to clean it thoroughly to get rid of these bacteria.
Effective ways to clean the tongue
- Specialized tongue scraper
- Toothbrush with built-in scraper
- Toothbrush
Stainless steel tongue scraper doesn’t wear out and it is impervious to bacteria. U-shaped tongue scrapers are good and easily available.
You can schedule a consultation appointment with Dr. Seema Bansal for more informantion.
Very informative. Never knew tongue cleaning was that important.
Thank you Aastha for finding the blog informative.
Amazing ! So basic yet so important
Thank you Komal .
Very informative. Thank you.
Thank you Garima for commenting on the blog .
Very nice and informative article
An eye opener for the patients
Thank you Dr Hemali for finding it informative.
Very informative post Dr. Seema thanks for sharing. Can you suggest any good specialized tongue scraper I can buy? Thank you.
Thank you Ankyra for commenting on the blog .I will suggest you to buy a stainless steel or a copper tongue cleaner instead of the plastic one.
Yes ,it very once information from Dr. seema, this gives lot of insights on small things which normally many ignores.
Thanks.
Thank you Mihir for finding it informative.
It is good information.
Thank you Rajeev for finding it informative.
Absolutely informative. Thank you for this doctor.
Thank you Priyanka for the comment.
This is very insightful! Do share more like these
Thank you Mihir for commenting and finding it informative.
This is very insightful. Do share more like this
Thank you Mihir
Very informative and helpful 👍
Thank you Sneha for finding it informative.
Insightful information.
Thank you Jiya
It’s very nice and informative posts that I have seen. You can get enlightened on self dental care and your family as well. We, on behalf of my family profusely thank you Dr.Seemaji 😊 🙏 ❤️
Thank you Mr Praful for finding it informative.