PLASDENT Plastic Tongue Cleaners / scrapers , ASSORTED Colors 48pk . #200TC-A
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Description
PLASDENT Plastic Tongue Cleaners / Scrapers
Benefits of Tongue Scraping
Research on the benefits is still quite limited, but Scraping at least twice a day could help improve any of the following:
Bad breath: Bacteria and food particles embedded in crevices are a major cause of bad breath. Clean bacteria and food off, and your mouth will feel much fresher. Read our full guide to bad breath causes and treatments for more tips, plus warning signs of a more serious problem.
Appearance: A heavy white buildup on your Tongue looks and feels unpleasant. Use a Tongue scraper and make sure you're drinking enough water.
Sense of taste: A physical coating over your taste buds might be stopping you from experiencing the full taste of the food you eat.
Overall better oral health: A clean Tongue means fewer bacteria in your mouth overall, which can help slow the progress of dental caries and gum disease.
If you think you're suffering from chronic bad breath (halitosis) or your Tongue is painful or discolored, you should visit your dentist for a health checkup and find out how you can improve it.
Can you brush your Tongue the way you brush your teeth?
woman brushing tongueTongue Scrapers work better than toothbrushes to clean your Tongue
You might wonder why you need to buy another tool when you already have a brush that you could use. There are a couple of reasons why this is not the best way to clean your Tongue.
Firstly, toothbrush bristles are great for scrubbing hard tooth enamel, but not the soft spongy surface of your Tongue. This means that they are less effective than Tongue Scrapers at removing volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs) – a big contributor to bad breath. This study from 2004 only monitored 10 people but found that a Tongue scraper was 67% more effective at removing VSCs.
Secondly, chunky brush heads can easily trigger your gag reflex when you try to clean the back of your Tongue. They're just not designed to be used in that part of your mouth
What about a toothbrush with a built-in cleaner?
Perhaps you have tried to brush your Tongue using a toothbrush with a Tongue brush on the reverse. This might be slightly more effective at removing bacteria and getting rid of bad breath than just brushing your Tongue with standard bristles, but the problem with gagging remains. Plus, it's difficult to know if you've effectively cleaned the full surface of your Tongue.
If you haven't had much success with this method and want to know how to brush your Tongue without gagging, the solution could be to buy a Tongue scraper. Not only are these devices much thinner than a standard brush, they also make Scraping simpler and quicker.
How do you use it?
The best way to clean your Tongue to get rid of bacteria and improve bad breath is by Tongue Scraping following these simple steps:
- Stick your Tongue as far out of your mouth as it will comfortably go.
- Place the scraper as far back as you can without gagging.
- Exert enough force that the scraper sits flat against your Tongue (but not so much that it hurts).
- Slowly pull it forwards to the tip of your Tongue.
- Spit out any saliva and debris that has accumulated on your Tongue, and rinse or wipe any gunk off the scraper.
- Repeat several times, ensuring you have scraped the whole surface.
- Wash your Tongue scraper under running water and leave it out to dry..
Choosing the best Tongue scraper for you
Tongue Scrapers come in various different shapes and materials, the main differences being between plastic and metal models. You'll find the best selection of Tongue cleaners for Tongue Scraping in the US if you look online. Below we take a look at some popular options and explain how you can decide on the best model for you.
Plastic Tongue Scrapers
Let's begin with the plastic variety for Tongue Scraping. These usually have a long handle similar to a toothbrush handle, and a tip with one or more bars which scrape along the Tongue. They might also have small bristles to help dislodge particles from the surface.
Plastic cleaners of this type are too small to clean the whole Tongue at once, so require several strokes along each area for effective Scraping. They need to be replaced every 3-4 months, just like a normal brush head – or sooner if they become damaged or visibly dirty.