How to Clean Your Tongue
At some point, we all have experienced the feeling of being so anxious to tell a friend that his breath smells like there’s a dead rat inside his mouth but just couldn’t.
Today’s society puts personal hygiene in very high regard. Going to a job interview, attending a corporate function, or even going on a first date are just few of the many social occasions where everyone is entailed to follow a certain set of unwritten rules that have caused people to always and ever be mindful of how they look, how they dress, and even how they smell.
The era of a fast-paced life, where computers and high technology gadgets make everything easier and faster, makes everyone run after time every day allowing us to overlook the simplest things we have to remember. Like cleaning our tongue.
Having bad breath is such a terrible thing to have. What’s really bad about it is that most of the time, people who have it are far too used to the smell of their own breath that they don’t realize there’s something wrong with it.
The bacteria you try so hard to avoid in your teeth by flossing, brushing, and gargling mouth wash is actually the same bacteria that could live in your tongue. Food particles, dried saliva, and post-nasal drip residue are some elements that tend to stick to the tongue making the tongue very conducive to bacterial growth leading to bad breath. This is where the importance of cleaning the tongue comes in. It is to make sure that bacteria wouldn’t find a safe haven to grow and multiply in the tongue and leave you with awful stinky breath.
Cleaning your tongue is pretty simple and some of the things you will need that can easily be found in your home are a toothbrush, toothpaste, mouthwash, and dental floss. Be sure you are facing a mirror. Once you’ve got everything ready, gargle with water. Others may prefer gargling with mouthwash at the beginning and that should be fine as well. Grab a strand of dental floss, stick your tongue out, and start running the floss over your tongue from the back to the tip. Do this for two to four times. Have your toothbrush ready by applying a small amount of toothpaste on it. Place the toothbrush as far back as you can go on your tongue without gagging. Don’t stress yourself about not going too far back as your gag reflex will relax as you get used to the process. Start brushing your tongue from the back to the tip until you cover the entire area of your tongue. It shouldn’t feel painful because if it does, it means your pressing the brush too hard. Repeat the procedure on the underside of the tongue and make sure that you spit out excess toothpaste once in a while. Once you’re done, gargle with mouthwash for about a minute. Spit it out afterwards then you’re done. Those who have or want to use a tongue scraper device may go ahead and use it before gargling with mouthwash.
Just like eating, sleeping, bathing, or brushing, cleaning your tongue should be part of your daily routine. Don’t give others the burden of having to tell you about having bad breath. Start with your tongue and make it a daily habit.
P.S. This is the proven method I recommend to my friends and readers. Read testimonials from previous sufferers.
