Whilst many people manage to brush twice a day and floss their teeth, many neglect to clean their tongues. This is the most important part of your mouth to keep clean to ensure you have a clean mouth! The surface of your tongue is quite rough with lots of tiny bumps (called papillae). These bumps get filled with lots of food particles, dead skin cells and millions of bacteria. If you don’t clean them every day, they will build up and form a sticky coating, known as a tongue coating.

If you don’t keep your tongue clean you are likely to suffer from several issues. Firstly, you’re more likely to suffer from bad breath, also known as halitosis. The bacteria found on the back of your tongue produce volatile sulfur compounds creating bad breath. You’ll also be more likely to suffer from tooth decay and gum disease as the bacteria can travel onto your teeth and gums. Finally, having a dirty tongue will also affect your taste buds. With lots of dirt covering them, your food won’t taste as nice. By keeping your tongue clean you’ll be keeping your teeth safe, improving your breath and enjoying your food!

How Can You Understand Your Tongue?

Understanding your tongue will help you to keep it clean. Your tongue is a tough muscle used to chew, swallow and talk. The top of your tongue, also known as the dorsal surface has a rough surface with thousands of tiny bumps. These are your papillae and contain your taste buds, letting you taste sweet, salty, sour, bitter and savory.

The tiny bumps create a forest of ridges and grooves on the surface of your tongue. This means that bacteria and food particles will easily build up on your tongue. The last third of your tongue tends to suffer with more bacteria building up as there isn’t as much friction against the roof of your mouth whilst eating and talking. Medical studies show that up to 50% of bacteria in your mouth live on your tongue. Some of this will be washed away with your saliva but you’ll still need to clean it to get down into the bottom of your papillae.

Which Tools Can You Use to Keep Your Tongue Clean?

Make sure you have the correct tools to keep your tongue clean. Using random tools from around your house could cause damage to your delicate tissue. The two main tools used are:

How Do Tongue Scrapers Help Clean Your Tongue?

These are specifically designed tools to clean your tongue. They are made from plastic or stainless steel and have a curved shape. This allows even gentle pressure to be applied to your tongue to scrape away bacteria. Studies have shown that using a tongue scraper will remove much more plaque and volatile sulfur compounds than using a toothbrush. Metal scrapers are long lasting and easy to keep clean. Plastic ones are cheap and easy to find.

Can You Use a Toothbrush to Clean Your Tongue?

If you don’t have a tongue scraper you can use your regular toothbrush. Make sure to use a soft bristled toothbrush. Whilst they are effective, sometimes the bristles can push the debris further into your papillae. If you choose to use a toothbrush choose one with a small head to reach the back of your mouth without causing a large gag.

How Should You Clean Your Tongue?

Clean your tongue in under a minute. Follow the steps below to keep your mouth healthy:

Why Should You Wash Your Hands First?

Firstly wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water.

How Should You Rinse Your Tongue Scraper or Toothbrush?

Rinse your tongue scraper/ toothbrush under clean running water.

How Should You Stick Out Your Tongue?

Open your mouth wide and stick your tongue out.

Where Should You Place the Cleaning Tool?

Place your tongue scraper or toothbrush at the very back of your tongue. Don’t go too far back or you’ll cause yourself to gag.

How Should You Gently Pull the Tool Towards the Tip of Your Tongue?

Gently pull your tool along your tongue towards the tip. Don’t push too hard to cause pain or bleeding.

Why Should You Lift Up and Rinse Your Tool?

Lift your tool up and rinse it under water. Do this 3-4 times to remove the debris from your tongue. Be sure to clean along the sides.

Should You Rinse Your Mouth After Cleaning?

Rinse your mouth and tool.

How Can You Keep Your Tongue Clean Every Day?

The key to keeping your mouth in excellent health is to keep your tongue clean. Try to keep your tongue clean at least once per day. Most dental professionals suggest doing this as part of your morning routine once you’ve finished brushing your teeth. This is ideal as bacteria can multiply quickly overnight causing you to have bad breath in the morning and a thick coating.

Some people prefer to clean their tongues twice a day. If you eat foods with strong flavors or smoke then this will help you to keep your breath fresh. Keep your tongue scraper beside your toothbrush to ensure that you don’t forget to use it. Replace your plastic tongue scraper every 3-4 months like you would your toothbrush.

What Common Mistakes Should You Avoid When Cleaning Your Tongue?

Many people make simple mistakes when they first start cleaning their tongues. To avoid damaging your delicate mouth:

Can Using Too Much Pressure Damage Your Tongue?

Don’t try to scrub your tongue too hard. This will cause damage to the delicate surface of your tongue causing it to bleed.

Why Should You Avoid Placing the Tool Too Far Back?

Don’t put your tool too far back in your throat. This will cause a large gag.

Why Should You Clean Along the Sides of Your Tongue?

Bacteria can build up on the whole surface of your tongue. Make sure to clean along the sides.

Is Cleaning Your Tongue Only Once Per Week Enough?

Cleaning your tongue only once per week will not give you the best results. Make sure to clean your tongue every day to keep the bacteria under control.

Should You Avoid Harsh Chemicals When Cleaning Your Tongue?

Never use harsh chemicals such as detergents, bleach or abrasive powders. Just use water and a mild toothpaste.

Which Medical Conditions Can Affect Your Tongue?

Your tongue can indicate your general health. Often changes in color, texture or coating can indicate an underlying medical issue:

What Is Oral Thrush?

This is a fungal infection caused by an overgrowth of Candida yeast. White thick patches will appear on your tongue, resembling cottage cheese. When you scrape this away the skin underneath may bleed slightly. Those with a weak immune system, diabetes or those taking broad-spectrum antibiotics are more likely to suffer from this.

What Is Geographic Tongue?

This is an harmless inflammatory condition causing red patches with white edges to appear on your tongue. These patches move around and change shape over the course of days or weeks. Whilst it looks worrying, it doesn’t cause any long term damage, however it may cause a stinging sensation with spicy or acidic foods.

What Is Black Hairy Tongue?

Despite the scary name this is a harmless condition. The papillae on your tongue grow longer than usual causing food, bacteria and tobacco to get stuck. This causes a dark hairy appearance. This can usually be cleared up quickly by keeping your mouth clean, quitting smoking and gently brushing.

What Are the Signs of an Unhealthy Tongue?

Knowing the signs of an unhealthy tongue will help you to take action early. Some common signs include:

Can Bad Breath Indicate an Unhealthy Tongue?

If you still suffer from bad breath after brushing your teeth and using mouthwash, this is likely due to the build up of bacteria on your tongue.

What Does Tongue Discoloration Mean?

A healthy tongue will be pink. If you have a thick white, yellow, brown or black coating this indicates that you have a build up of bacteria, are dehydrated or unwell.

Can Tongue Pain or Burning Indicate a Problem?

If you suffer from unexplained soreness, burning sensations or painful sores then visit a doctor or dentist.

Can Loss of Taste Be a Sign of an Unhealthy Tongue?

If you’re losing the taste in your food this may be due to a thick coating of debris covering your taste buds.

Which Foods Can Help Keep Your Tongue Clean?

What you eat can directly affect how clean your tongue and mouth are. There are some foods that will help keep your mouth clean naturally:

How Does Water Help Keep Your Tongue Clean?

The best way to keep your tongue clean is to drink plenty of water. This will wash away any loose food particles. It will also increase saliva production. Saliva contains natural enzymes to fight harmful bacteria.

Can Crunchy Fruits and Vegetables Help Clean Your Tongue?

Eating apples, celery, carrots and cucumbers will act as a natural toothbrush. The fibrous texture will gently scrub away any surface debris.

Can Probiotic-Rich Foods Improve Tongue Health?

Eating yogurt, kefir and other fermented foods will add good bacteria to your digestive system and mouth. This will help to fight off harmful bacteria causing bad breath and oral infections.

Which Foods Should You Avoid to Keep Your Tongue Clean?

There are some foods that will cause bacteria to grow:

Why Should You Avoid Sweets and Candies?

Bacteria feeds on the sugar causing acid to be produced. This will cause damage to your teeth.

Why Should You Avoid Sticky Foods?

Dried fruits and sticky sweets will stick to the rough papillae on your tongue for hours causing bacteria to grow.

Can Sugary and Citrus Drinks Affect Your Tongue?

Sugary drinks and heavy citrus drinks will weaken your mouth.

When Should You See a Professional About Your Tongue?

Most tongues will stay clean if you keep them clean every day. However, if you notice any of the following signs it’s best to see a dentist or doctor:

  • Sores, lumps or patches that don’t heal within 2 weeks.

  • Severe pain when chewing, swallowing or talking.

  • Numbness or burning sensations on any part of your tongue.

  • Unexplained bleeding.

By catching any abnormality in your mouth early you’ll be able to treat it straight away. Never ignore any ongoing changes in your mouth.