Tongue cleaner

What is a tongue cleaner?

In addition to the normal toothbrush, there are special tongue cleaners with which you can easily clean the back third of the tongue. Using a tongue cleaner can help prevent bad breath, improve taste, and promote health. The tongue cleaner can remove the bacteria that are deposited in large numbers on the tongue. The head of a regular toothbrush is too big to clean the back of the tongue. For this reason, the special tongue cleaners are designed to be very flat, long and narrow in order to easily clean the tongue. The tongue cleaner is available in every drugstore and is particularly important in the prevention of bad breath.

Does a tongue cleaner make sense?

A tongue cleaner is a great addition to daily oral hygiene. A large number of bacteria tend to be deposited on the back of the tongue in particular. Often there is an unpleasant-tasting coating on the tongue, which can be removed with the tongue cleaner.

The bacteria can unhindered on the tongue, among other things. Metabolize food residues and sulfur-containing compounds result. This can cause an unpleasant bad breath. A tongue cleaner is therefore very useful to prevent bad breath on the one hand and to reduce the bacterial flora in the mouth on the other. Frequent bleeding gums or tooth decay can also be prevented.

However, it is very important that the tongue cleaner does not replace the two more important parts of daily oral hygiene. These consist of brushing your teeth and using interdental brushes and / or dental floss. The use of a tongue cleaner as a supplement to daily oral hygiene is particularly useful if the tongue is thickly coated, bad breath, an unpleasant taste in the mouth or diseases of the tongue.

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Which material is recommended for tongue cleaners?

Most tongue cleaners available in drug stores are made of plastic. They are therefore very light and graceful and easy to use. They are also very easy to clean. As an alternative to plastic, there are also tongue cleaners made of stainless steel. These are usually not available in drug stores. Which material is preferred for the tongue cleaner is up to your own preference. In addition to the material, the tongue cleaners differ in additional shapes. There are additionally attached knobs or lamellas that stimulate the tongue or provide other cleaning performance.

Indications of the tongue cleaner

A tongue cleaner should be used especially when the tongue is covered in order to clean it. A lot of bacteria are particularly deposited on the tongue. A whitish, thin and wipeable coating on the tongue is quite normal. The amount of topping can be slightly different for everyone. However, the coatings on the tongue can often also result in an unpleasant taste in the mouth. To remove the deposits and consequently combat the unpleasant taste, a tongue cleaner is very suitable. A tongue cleaner is also indicated for bad breath. As more and more bacteria settle on the tongue and metabolize these food residues, producing sulfur-containing products, an unpleasant odor can arise. You can counteract bad breath by removing the deposits from your tongue. Furthermore, the tongue cleaner should be used regularly in order to lay the foundation for good oral hygiene. Bleeding gums or frequent tooth decay can also be a sign of the sensible use of a tongue cleaner. In folk medicine, cleaning the tongue with a tongue cleaner is considered a home remedy for the prevention of colds.

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How do you use a tongue cleaner correctly?

It is best to use the tongue cleaner after brushing your teeth and using interdental brushes and / or floss. Thus, the tongue can finally be cleaned from daily oral hygiene. The bacteria accumulate more and more, especially in the back third of the tongue. The tongue cleaner should help to clean these areas well. You start by sticking your tongue out as far as possible. It is best to clamp the tongue syringe between your thumb and forefinger to hold it tight. However, a paper handkerchief is also suitable here. With the latter, you don't slip off so easily. As a result, the tongue scraper or tongue brush is now placed as far back as possible and pulled forward in a long path. This should be done without putting excessive pressure on the tongue. The process should be repeated three to four times. It is very important that the tongue cleaner is rinsed off with water after each use. Afterwards, the mouth can be rinsed out with mouth rinse solution or clear water. When used properly, the tongue cleaner should be replaced every six to eight weeks.

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How long should I clean the tongue?

The tongue should be used twice a day in addition to brushing your teeth and using interdental brushes. It is best to use it to complete oral hygiene. The tongue cleaner is pulled in tracks from the back to the front on the tongue. This process should be repeated three to four times. It should be rinsed off with water every time between uses. The entire application of the tongue cleaner usually takes no more than a minute or two. The tongue should not be worked and cleaned with too much pressure and also not for too long with the tongue cleaner, as you do not want to irritate and injure the tongue too much.

How much does a tongue cleaner cost?

The cost of a tongue cleaner is around 3 - 5 €. The tongue cleaners are available in every drugstore or pharmacy. There are many different suppliers, models and materials. You can get advice from the treating dentist or follow your own preference for the tongue cleaner model. Depending on the material, the cost of a tongue cleaner can be around € 20. In general, you can't go wrong with purchasing a tongue cleaner. Whether it's a brush or a scraper, the tongue cleaners are very suitable for cleaning the tongue.

What are the alternatives of a tongue cleaner?

If you don't have a tongue cleaner to hand, the tongue can also be freed from the deposits and cleaned with a normal manual toothbrush. You have to be careful, however, as the brush head is higher than a special tongue cleaner. You can easily injure your palate or, above all, trigger a gag reflex. Furthermore, the coatings on the tongue get caught on the toothbrush and are distributed over the teeth the next time you brush your teeth. The use of the toothbrush should therefore only be used to clean the tongue in exceptional cases. A teaspoon is also suitable for cleaning the tongue. You turn the spoon around and the edge of it can be used as a scraper.

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How do I clean the tongue cleaner?

The tongue cleaner should be rinsed off with clear water after every lane that is pulled on the tongue. The tongue cleaner rinses the tongue plaque removed with each pull. In addition, the tongue cleaner can also be cleaned in special cleaning solutions. In general, however, a thorough rinsing with water is sufficient. After about six to eight weeks of regular use, however, the tongue cleaner should be replaced. However, you should never use the tongue cleaner with soap or detergent or the like. try to clean. This would mean a very unpleasant taste the next time it is used. Some models can be put in the dishwasher for cleaning.

Do I use the tongue cleaner before or after brushing my teeth?

It is best to use it at the end of daily oral hygiene, i.e. after brushing your teeth and using interdental brushes and / or dental floss. Bacteria and plaque are kicked up by the teeth during daily oral hygiene and are largely deposited on the tongue as a result. Above all, the back third of the tongue is particularly likely to be attacked by the bacteria, as cleaning here is more difficult. After brushing your teeth, the tongue can be freed from the bacteria deposited and stirred up by brushing your teeth with the aid of the tongue cleaner.

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How can I clean the tongue without a tongue cleaner?

Without a tongue cleaner, the tongue can alternatively be cleaned with a manual toothbrush. However, only a toothbrush with soft to medium-hard bristles is suitable here so as not to damage the surface of the tongue. Furthermore, a separate toothbrush not used for brushing teeth should be used to clean the tongue. Otherwise, the plaque on the tongue removed by the toothbrush would be redistributed on the teeth the next time you brush your teeth. The head of the toothbrush is higher than a normal tongue cleaner, so be careful not to injure yourself.

As an alternative to the toothbrush, you can use an inverted teaspoon as a scraper for the tongue. This, like the toothbrush, is also pulled from behind on the tongue in lanes forwards. A common home remedy for cleaning the tongue consists of a salt-water mixture. Dissolve a teaspoon of table salt in a glass of lukewarm water and then rinse your mouth with it. It is very important not to swallow the salt water. Alternatively, the so-called oil pulling can also cleanse the tongue. Here you rinse your mouth in the morning on an empty stomach with a tablespoon of oil. This application is also intended to prevent inflammation in the oral cavity and is often used as an accompanying therapy Periodontal disease recommended. In general, however, mechanical cleaning of the tongue using a tongue cleaner is most effective.

You can find more information here: Removing plaque on the tongue, oral hygiene