When it comes to oral hygiene, the tongue is mostly forgotten. It is so important to clean this part of the body regularly as this is where most of the microorganisms cavort in the mouth. 

60 to 80 percent of all microorganisms in the oral cavity accumulate on the tongue. It is because leftover food and dead cells adhere particularly well to the rough surface. 

Bacteria feel exceptionally comfortable on the tongue, which is noticeable as a white coating. This makes it all the more important to clean the tongue regularly. 

We’ll tell you the most effective methods and tell you which home remedies you should use to help.

How to Clean Your Tongue Properly

If there are many bacteria on the tongue, this is mainly noticeable through the unpleasant bad breath. If you clean your tongue regularly, you will not have bad-smelling breath.

Besides, regular tongue cleaning is said to reduce plaque and promote our taste buds’ intensity.

Home Remedies to Clean Your Tongue Without A Toothbrush

The following home remedies should remove plaque from the tongue:

• Natural mouthwash with sage, thyme, or myrrh: these three herbs have an antibacterial effect and free the mouth from pests. Application: Simply let the herbal tea cool down and rinse your mouth thoroughly.
• Saline solution: If you don’t like herbs’ taste, you can also use salt water as a mouthwash. Application: Stir a teaspoon of salt into warm water and use it to clean the mouth.
• Hard food: Food with a hard shell or crust, such as raw vegetables or bread, can automatically get rid of the coating on the tongue. Due to the resistance of hard food, the topping should come off immediately when eating.
• Oil pulling: According to Ayurvedic teachings, oil pulling is the best way to cleanse the tongue and be done daily. Here’s how it works: Move a spoonful of oil back and forth in your mouth every morning for at least 10 minutes. Then spit it out.

How to Clean Your Tongue With A Toothbrush

• With an electric toothbrush: If you have an electric toothbrush, you can also use it to clean your tongue. Some brushes even have their own tongue cleaning function.
• With a manual toothbrush: some toothbrushes have an integrated tongue scraper that you can use to remove plaque from your tongue.

Clean the Tongue With A Scraper And A Special Brush

If you get a gag reflex with a toothbrush, you should use a separate tongue scraper and tongue brush. Both cleaning products are narrower than toothbrushes and therefore do not reach the palate as quickly, responsible for the gag reflex. With the tongue scraper, you can remove the coarse coating and clean it with the tongue brush. Both products are available in drug stores and pharmacies.

You should try out for yourself which method and which home remedy are best for you to integrate into everyday life because it is above all important to clean the tongue regularly and not just now and then.