Tongue Scrapers: 3 Things To Know
Most people believe that brushing and flossing their teeth daily is enough for good oral care, but many dentists are now recommending adding the use of a tongue scraper to daily oral care habits. A tongue scraper is a small device designed to clean your tongue, and here are three things you should know about the use of tongue scrapers.
What Is It?
If you look at your toothbrush, it might contain a tongue scraper, as some toothbrushes do. If yours does not have one, you can purchase packages of tongue scrapers to use. A tongue scraper is something you can use to scrape the buildup of plaque and debris from your tongue. When you use it, you should place it near the back of your tongue and scrape forward. You should repeat this over your entire tongue, rinsing the scraper in between scrapes. If you do this daily, your tongue will be much cleaner and fresher.
What Is the Purpose of a Tongue Scraper?
Using a tongue scraper has one main purpose, which is to clean the tongue. While you know that cleaning your teeth with your toothbrush and toothpaste is important for good oral care, what about your tongue? Your tongue is a soft surface that is prone to harboring germs, bacteria, and plaque, yet many people never take the time to clean their tongues. If you fail to clean your tongue, you might suffer from bad breath, and you might have an increased risk of developing cavities and gum disease. Your tongue can actually hold plaque on it. If you do not clean it but brush your teeth, the plaque from your tongue might attach to your teeth, leaving your teeth less than clean and prone to cavities.
What Benefits Can You Experience from Cleaning Your Tongue?
If you begin cleaning your tongue each day with a tongue scraper, there are several key benefits you can experience. The first is that you may have fresher breath. Secondly, you may have a decreased risk of developing oral problems with your teeth and gums. Finally, cleaning your tongue daily might actually help your tongue work better for tasting foods. In other words, you might notice an increased sense of taste just from cleaning your tongue each day.
If you are interested in learning more about tongue scrapers and other tools you can use to clean your mouth, contact dental clinics like Claros Dental Smiles today.
Share