How To Clean Your Tongue Naturally At Home

We probably don’t think much about our tongue on a day-to-day basis, but it’s actually one of the most important parts of our mouth.

The human tongue has many functions, from aiding with tastes and speech to helping us digest our food.

But what many people don’t know is that your tongue is home to millions of bacteria.

So how does this help you exactly?

Well, not only does it make you understand why keeping your oral hygiene is important, but also because the state of your tongue can signify many other health issues.

Having a dirty tongue can be a sign of dehydration or an indication that something else might be going awry inside your body.

Learning how to clean your tongue is an easy way to practice better oral hygiene

Not only that, but it also helps us be more aware of our overall health.

A clean tongue is essential for good oral hygiene, as it helps to keep bacteria and bad breath at bay.

Eating a fresh and balanced diet will also keep your breath fresh, but having a clean tongue is an essential part of the process.

Your tongue is covered in bacteria – and that’s a good thing!

Most of the bacteria on your tongue help create saliva, which is actually necessary for digestion and breaking down food particles.

Some of the bacteria that is found on the tongue is actually good for us and crucial to our health.

The truth is that bacteria are present in all parts of the body, and they’re actually a necessity for us to survive.

The key is to have the right amount of bacteria and to keep it on your tongue under control.

You can do this by brushing your tongue regularly and drinking enough water to keep it clean.

Why is the smell of your breath so important?

Of course, the taste and texture of your breath are also important, but what you might not know is that the smell of your breath can be indicative of other health issues.

The chemicals that cause bad breath are actually sulfur compounds, and they are produced by bacteria that are growing on the surface of the tongue and inside the mouth.

If you don’t clean your tongue regularly, then you’re likely to experience bad breath and other health issues are likely to be triggered.

If you have bad breath, then you are more likely to have heart disease and diabetes than people who have fresh breath.

The reason for this is that bad breath is caused by bacteria growing on the tongue and gums.

Bacteria in the mouth actually release toxins into the bloodstream, which is why people with gum disease are much more likely to have heart disease than those without gum disease. Not cool!

Most people don’t clean their tongues, but it’s actually quite easy to do, and it’s a great way to practice good oral hygiene.

You should definitely brush your tongue every day, but you should also be scraping it at least once a week.

How To Clean Your Tongue Naturally Using a Spoon

One of the easiest ways to clean your tongue is to use a spoon.

A small spoon (like a teaspoon) is ideal for this purpose.

Inverting the spoon helps it to reach the hidden part of your tongue.

How to do it: stick the spoon to the back of your tongue and scrape gently to remove any debris.

Move forward, starting from the back of your tongue.

Use plenty of water to rinse your mouth afterward to ensure the cleanest possible results.

Tip: if your tongue is dry, apply very gentle force to scrape the tongue’s surface.

How To Clean Tongue With a Toothbrush

Another effective way to clean your tongue naturally is to brush it with a toothbrush or a tongue scraper.

These tools should be soft enough to scrape away the food debris and dead cells without hurting your tongue.

How to do it: clean your tongue using a gentle, soft-bristled toothbrush.

First, wet the brush, and use it to scrape away the white residue from your tongue gently.

The tongue scraper – a specialized tool for tongue cleaning – is particularly helpful for cleaning the back of your tongue.

After cleaning your tongue with a spoon or a toothbrush, use a scraper to remove the remaining debris.

Tip: rinse both toothbrushes and tongue scrapers with clean water after cleaning (you can even use an antibacterial mouthwash to eradicate the bacteria completely). 

Tongue Scraper with Travel Case, Bad Breath Treatment for Adults & Kids, Medical Grade

How To Clean Tongue Naturally By Drinking More Water

Drinking water is one of the best ways to keep your tongue naturally clean.

Water keeps your mouth hydrated and helps fight harmful bacteria, so by drinking water, you can help your tongue stay cleaner and healthier.

Drinking water will also help keep the area between the teeth clean.

Start drinking more water to maintain your oral health today.

It would be best if you always drank at least a liter of water every day to prevent the occurrence of bad breath.

In addition to drinking water, it is important to avoid foods that contain sugar.

Sugar promotes the growth of bacteria in our mouths.

Tip: if you did end up eating sweets, make sure to brush your tongue after eating.

Other Tongue Scraping Techniques

There are a few different methods for cleaning your tongue, so this next section is going to cover the most popular tongue scraper techniques.

• Rinsing. This is a great method for cleaning your tongue, and it can also help with bad breath.

  To do this, you can use warm water with a bit of salt in it.

  The salt helps to break down the bacteria on your tongue and can help to get rid of bad breath.

• Spraying. This is another great technique for cleaning your tongue and getting rid of bad breath.

  You can use mouthwash, which is alcohol-free, or water with a splash of lemon juice.

  Rinse your mouth out with the mixture, and then spray it over your tongue.

The Conclusion

It is essential to know how to clean your tongue – this part of your mouth is covered with bacteria.

Research has shown that up to 50% of halitosis (chronic bad breath) cases are due to bacterial residues on the tongue.

A healthy tongue is pink and contains normal-sized papillae.

As bacteria build upon the tongue, the papillae will turn white.

While this is harmless, it can lead to respiratory and digestive problems.

Therefore, cleaning your tongue regularly is essential for your overall health.

The back of the tongue contains the largest concentration of sulfur-producing bacteria, so it is crucial to remove these bacteria from the tongue regularly.

The benefits of brushing your mouth are far-reaching, as they can improve your overall health!

Your tongue loves to be clean just as much as your teeth, and it takes just an extra minute to make sure this part of your mouth is also healthy and happy.

Like these tips?

Scroll down for more!

Amber & The Team

Co-authors at ShineSheets.com

"We love to research problems, examine studies, analyze solutions, and share with you ideas that make life healthier. You can learn about us and our editorial standards here. Have suggestions or feedback to share? Send us a message!."