Tongue Cleaning: The routine I never miss!

If there is a routine that I follow every morning without exception, it is tongue cleaning, since for proper oral hygiene toothbrushing is not enough.

During the night when the body rests and the cells regenerate, the body finds the opportunity to get rid of the accumulated toxins by depositing them on the tongue. These are the culprits for the white or grayish colour of the tongue when we wake up in the morning and we should remove them before drinking any water or coffee, otherwise they will be reingested.

There are over 700 bacteria in the oral cavity

According to scientists, there are over 700 different types of bacteria inside our mouths. Although some are beneficial and contribute to the health of the body, there are many that are harmful and find fertile ground to grow on our tongue. We could imagine our tongue as a sponge that absorbs the bacteria of the mouth, while dead cells and food debris settle on it. All together they are responsible for bad breath, tooth decay, etc.

How to clean your tongue

Tongue cleaning is very simple and does not require more than 2-3 minutes of your time. To do it properly, avoid using a toothbrush, as it is not designed for this purpose. Special tongue cleaners and scrapers are available commercially; these are flexible tools made of copper, stainless steel or plastic. I have chosen a plastic one that costs less, but remains 100% effective!

How to use: Open your mouth and stick your tongue out as far as possible. Holding both ends of the tongue cleaner, bend it and put it in the mouth until you reach the back of the tongue, without triggering the gag reflex. Scrape the tongue from the inside out while applying some force in order to remove the bacterial plaque that has formed on it. Eight to ten scrapes each morning. After each scrape, rinse the tongue cleaner. At the end of the process, rinse your mouth with plenty of water, clean the tongue cleaner with water and soap and store it for next use. What are the benefits of tongue cleaning?

Benefit no 1: Cool breath

Harmful bacteria that accumulate mainly in the back of the tongue are responsible for bad breath and tooth decay. Cleaning the tongue helps us to eliminate the most foul-smelling bacteria mutans streptococci and lactobacilli and enjoy cool breathing.

Benefit no 2: Improved sense of taste

As long as bacteria and dead cells remain on the tongue, they form a biomembrane, which blocks the taste buds and significantly reduces their ability to distinguish among salty, sweet, sour and bitter tastes. Cleaning the tongue enhances the sense of taste.

Benefit no 3: Better digestion

The process of digestion begins in the mouth. The enzymes present in saliva break down food to improve its absorption in the intestine. Cleaning the tongue activates these enzymes, thereby greatly improving the process of digestion.

Benefit no 4: Strengthening the immune system

Oral hygiene also has an impact on the immune system, as bacteria in the mouth force the immune system to work non-stop to fight them, thus weakening it.

Benefit no 5: Energising inner organs

Did you know that in Ayurveda a typical health examination includes a tongue examination? The tongue is not a simple sensory organ, but a system on which all the organs and functions of the organism are reflected. Cleaning the tongue of toxins activates the internal organs, ensuring a fresh start every morning!

For more information about tongue cleaning and other routines that I start my day with, watch the related video on my GoodLife by Gina channel on YouTube!