The toothbrush and floss are often the stars of the show, but what do you know about their little sister, the tongue scraper? Tongue scrapers may not be as essential to dental health as toothbrushes and floss are, but they can be a great supplement to your hygiene habits if you’re looking for a way to amp up your dental health.
Tongue scrapers work by getting rid of the acids from your mouth. Left to sit, bacterial acids on your tongue could migrate to the pearly whites and gums, where they can do severe harm. Eradicating the acids on your tongue is like extra credit from Dr. Scott Ferguson.
Tongue cleaners come in a few different types, the most popular being the tongue scraper. Its rigid tip makes it easy to scrape bacterial acids off of your tongue. Tongue brushes are another type, and they are increasing in popularity. Although you can brush your tongue with your toothbrush, we wouldn’t recommend it because it’s not as effective as brushing with a tongue scraper or tongue brush.
That brings us to an additional point. Tongue brushing is good extra credit, but it in no way replaces tooth brushing and flossing. The bulk of oral conditions affect the pearly whites and gums, so removing bacteria there should be your number one priority. Scraping bacteria from the tongue should come second to cleaning the pearly whites and gums.
To use a tongue scraper, place it at the back of your mouth and gently pull it forward. Clean the top, sides, and bottom of your tongue to thoroughly eliminate all bacteria. Clean the scraper before, while and after using it to ensure no leftover bacteria will be placed into your mouth again.
Would you like an in-person guide on using tongue scrapers? If so, please call 810-985-3301 now to pencil in your next visit in our Kimball, Michigan, office. Dr. Scott Ferguson and our team will teach you all you need to know about tongue cleaning.