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The mouth is generally a breeding ground for bacteria but it is the protein-rich areas of the tongue that are home to over 70 per cent of them. The grooves in the surface of the tongue provide the perfect conditions for bacteria to multiply rapidly and then be transported around the rest of the mouth by saliva. This bacteria contributes widely to the onset of periodontal problems such as gum disease and tooth decay. The foul smelling sulfurous compounds released by decaying bacteria and food matter are also responsible for nearly 90 percent of cases of halitosis, or bad breath.
Tongue cleaning devices have been in use for thousands of years and have always played a part in both Chinese and Indian natural treatments. More contemporary tongue cleaners can help to remove some of the 500 million bacteria that live on the average human tongue. They are also able to remove fungi, such as the thrush causing candida, and the decaying food matter that gets lodge in the grooves of the tongue that can cause bad breath.
A dirty tongue is not just the cause of oral concerns, but it has also been linked to wider systematic health problems which include pneumonia, cardiovascular difficulties, osteoporosis and has links to causing diabetes. Dentists and other health professionals therefore empahsise the importance of having a clean tongue for maintaining not just good oral hygiene but a general sense of well being.
London dentists recommend using a specifically designed tongue cleaner as regular toothbrushes are not suitable for cleaning the spongy surface of the tongue. There are some toothbrushes which come with built in tongue cleaners, usually on the back of the head, but your dentist will be able to recommend which tongue cleaner will work for you. There are many reasons to keep your tongue clean and it really will only take a few extra minutes a day, but the benefits could last you a life time.