In the articles so far, we have learned a lot about maintaining oral health. I hope you have implemented all the advice given. You will now be maintaining the routine of brushing your teeth twice a day, after waking up in the morning and before going to bed at night. Along with this, you will also be keeping the space between the two teeth clean by interdental brushing or flossing after meals. You must have now understood how to use a soft brush and fluoride paste.

You must be maintaining proper oral hygiene by now, right? But isn't there something missing? Do you clean your tongue? When it comes to oral hygiene, we often overlook the importance of tongue hygiene. Most patients are told to focus only on cleaning their teeth, but rarely are they advised to clean their tongue. In today's article, you will understand why tongue cleaning is an important part of oral hygiene.

Why should you keep your tongue clean?

In fact, your mouth is home to trillions of bacteria. Some of them are actually beneficial, helping to keep the number of bad bacteria in check. Usually, when the number of bad bacteria increases and you don't clean it, tooth decay or gum diseases like pyorrhea occur. Basically, you can keep the number of bad bacteria in check through proper oral hygiene.

There are many corners in the mouth (such as the space between two teeth) where it is difficult for a brush to reach. Since the surface of the tongue is rough, it is an excellent place for bacteria to live and grow. In fact, more bacteria live on the tongue than on your teeth. If you skip cleaning your tongue, these bacteria can easily accumulate on your teeth and damage them. Apart from this, it can be considered the main reason for bad breath. Yes, the increased amount of bad bacteria is the cause of bad breath. Along with this, since these bacteria cover your taste buds on the tongue, food also tastes bad. Thus, by cleaning your tongue, you will be able to enjoy the taste of food and by controlling bad bacteria, you can also get the best protection against bad breath and other diseases.

How to clean the tongue?

If you see, the back of your brush will be a little rough. It is mainly kept for cleaning the tongue. Apply some paste on it and rub it on the tongue. Scrubbing the tongue slowly with a light hand will clean it properly. For this, you can also buy tongue scrapers (oil). Don't forget to rinse after cleaning the entire tongue properly. Be careful not to rub the tongue forcefully.

How many times a day should you clean your tongue?

You should clean your tongue at least twice a day as part of your oral hygiene routine. If you have bad breath after lunch or a dry mouth that leaves you with a foul taste, you can clean it a third time. There is no benefit in cleaning your tongue more than that.