Proper Tongue Cleaning Might Save Your Life

Have you ever looked at your tongue and noticed a white or yellow coating on your tongue’s surface? That’s Biofilm, and it’s home to billions of disease-causing bacteria. This mucus-coating is a combination of food debris, dead skin cells, and free-floating plaque. You’ll notice that it’s thickest on the back of the tongue where small bumps, called papillae, easily trap the stray debris.

And while this all sounds pretty gross, what lies beneath is far worse. Millions upon millions of disease-causing, plaque forming, bad-breath generating bacteria make their homes underneath the biofilm layer. They’re called anaerobic bacteria (think, opposite of aerobic), and they thrive in this kind of oxygen-free environment.

Biofilm’s Impact on Oral Health

The debris and bacteria in biofilm are responsible for a variety of oral and dental problems:

1. Biofilm and its bacteria are responsible for 99% of bad breath! First, the bacteria and debris, in and under the biofilm putrefy. Then, they start producing foul-smelling sulfur-gases, called VSCs, responsible for bad breath, and serious halitosis. 50% of people who do not practice tongue cleaning have a detectable degree of VSCs and bad breath.

2. Biofilm allows plaque and tartar to build-up rapidly. According to the National Institute of Health, left unchecked plaque can cause tartar to build-up around the teeth and gums. This causes cavities to form and leads to tooth decay, or complete tooth-loss. Dental decay puts you at serious risk for gum diseases like gingivitis and periodontitis. And people with gum disease are far more susceptible to systemic diseases, which affect the body’s total health and overall well-being.

   

3. Tongue cleaning might save your life! Recent studies have concluded that those with oral diseases like gingivitis, halitosis, periodontitis, and tooth-loss are far more likely to experience systemic disease in their lifetime. In a new report filed by the Center for Disease Control, scientists warn those with poor oral hygiene can expect to be at a higher risk for cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s, as well as other systemic conditions.

Tongue Cleaning Removes Biofilm at the Source

Proper Tongue Cleaning will eliminate biofilm, and its components at the source. To properly clean your tongue you should use a flat, angled scraper (like the ProFresh Tongue Cleaner) and place the fan-shaped cleaning edge on the very back of your tongue. Make sure the angled-edge is facing down. Hold the Tongue Cleaner firmly against your tongue and pull it forward.

Repeat this motion 3-6 times, rinsing your mouth and the tongue cleaner with water each time. Be sure to clean the sides of your tongue as well as the middle to remove all biofilm. Extending your tongue as much as possible will help reach the row of small bumps that lie at the back of the tongue.

Now, Neutralize the Bacteria

Daily use of an alcohol-free, antimicrobial oral rinse, like ProFresh, is the only way to prevent the bacteria and biofilm from coming back. While there are many kinds of antibacterial oral rinses, patented ProFresh Oral Rinse has been proven to be 99% effective. The Molecular Chlorine Dioxide in ProFresh (ClO2) cleanses the mouth in a variety of ways. ProFresh is specially formulated, and clinically proven to:

• Reduce proteins that allow anaerobic bacteria to ferment

• Neutralize anaerobic bacteria, pathogens and the smell they produce on contact

• Remove oral debris, loosening the biofilm coating

• Destroy any free-floating dental plaque

• Inhibit tartar build-up on the teeth and around gums

• Prevent plaque, VSCs, and biofilm from reforming

• Leave healthy tissue completely untouched

Practicing proper tongue cleaning is important; it keeps your mouth clean, your breath fresh, and your teeth where they’re supposed to be. It can also help prevent both oral and systemic disease. And, it’s an incredibly simple and quick addition to your daily routine. Don’t have a tongue cleaner? You can pick one up here or get one as part of your ProFresh BreathCare System Starter Kit.

So the next time you brush your teeth, try not to forget about your tongue. It might just save your life.