A Clean Tongue Is A Happy Tongue!

The tongue is one of the most multifunctional parts of the body. It helps us to speak our languages, to lubricate and break up our food before swallowing, to taste our food, to block food, liquid, or other things from accidentally going down our throats, and to warm the air when we mouth breathe, among other things.

So it is a great idea to keep your lingua clean and in working order. Since ancient times, people have used different items to clean the tongue. Today, there are products ergonomically engineered to effectively clean the tongue, including a tongue brush, and a plastic or metal tongue scraper. Alternatively, a spoon, dental floss, finger nails (not recommended), and even the old standby, the toothbrush, can be used. KForce Tongue Gel is an anti-bacterial paste specifically designed to be used dry with a brush to refresh and clean the tongue. It can be used on the teeth, too. Probably the most popular method of cleaning the tongue effectively employs the use of regular toothpaste, a toothbrush, and water.

Clean the tongue until it is thoroughly pink, with no residual white areas. If there are patches of different colors on the tongue, or unusual bumps, or most anything out of the ordinary, see a dentist pronto to see what’s going on.

Gagging is a common reaction when cleaning the tongue especially the back parts, but it still needs to be accomplished.  To suppress the gagging reflex, try relaxing more (easier said than done). Slowly exhaling while brushing the tongue may help. The back area of the tongue shelters a lot of bacteria and other microbes, food, older salivary mucous and exfoliated tongue cells. Volatile sulfur compounds are produced by the bacteria there. These compounds account for up to 95 percent of all cases involving bad breath (halitosis).

Other causes of bad breath may include unbrushed teeth, decaying food between teeth, tooth decay, gum disease, problem tonsils, or strong food smells coming from the stomach.

It has been said that we are what we think, speak, eat, and more. And if we want the best results for ourselves, we must act, for those best results to come to fruition. Maintaining a healthy tongue and oral cavity helps to keep you on your best track.

May you have many…tongue stuck out, pretty in pink, great tasting… smiles!