Ways of Keeping Your Tongue Super Clean to Avoid Bad Breath

When caring for the mouth, one area that often gets overlooked is the tongue. Unfortunately, this is often the source of bad breath for many people, so it needs to be kept clean to avoid halitosis. These are some steps that can help.

Brush It

One of the easiest ways to keep your tongue clean is to brush it. Take some extra time when brushing your teeth to dedicate to your tongue. The tongue harbors food particles and bacteria that are trapped under the mucous, which can be a major cause of bad breath.

Brush the top of the tongue with a small dab of toothpaste to remove this stinky buildup. It is also recommended that you start at the back and work your way forward to ensure the entire surface of the tongue is cleaned.

Use a Dedicated Tongue Scraper

If using your toothbrush to brush your tongue just doesn’t sound like something that interests you, consider investing in a dedicated tongue scraper. Made from soft plastic, a tongue scraper will peel off the layer of debris situated on top of the tongue. Make sure that you rinse off the tool with warm water after each swipe so that you aren’t simply moving material around.

Use Mouthwash

Another helpful tool in your quest to keep your tongue clean is mouthwash. Mouthwash will help to rid the oral surfaces of debris, bacteria, and food particles, including the large surface area of the tongue. You may want to do this step before you brush or employ your tongue scraper so that any debris is loosened and more easily removed.

Do you have questions about how to keep your mouth clean in order to prevent bad breath? If so, give our office a call. We can determine the cause of your chronic bad breath and how to properly manage it. “