When you use your toothbrush, you clean your chompers and gums — but are you also cleaning off your tongue? While there are several picks for cleaning your tongue, one good option is to use a tongue cleaner. Tongue cleaners come in some options:
Tongue scrapers – Tongue scrapers are apparatuses specifically designed to get rid of bacteria from the tongue, and it’s the tool most associated with tongue cleaning. Tongue scrapers are utilized by placing the tip of the scraper at the back of the oral cavity, then pulling the scraper forward. Rinse off the scraper as you would a toothbrush after brushing your teeth.
Tongue brushes – Tongue brushes are new to the dental hygiene scene, and they look similar to a typical toothbrush, but their bristles are made to clean the spaces of tongues. These work about as effectively as a tongue scraper, and you can occasionally find combination tongue brushes/toothbrushes.
Toothbrushes – Finally, you can also use a toothbrush to clean your tongue. Although this way doesn’t require you to acquire another oral apparatus, it will not clean your tongue as effectively: tongue scrapers are about 50% more powerful than toothbrushes at eradicating bacteria and slime from tongues.
If you’re keen on a pinker, cleaner tongue, a tongue cleaner is perhaps right for you. To learn more about tongue scrapers, please call us at 765-675-8745 now to talk to Dr. Christopher Hulen and/or our Tipton, Indiana, Hulen Family Dentistry team.