The products of the vital activities that happen in our bodies are derived not only from urine, feces, and sweat but also through the tongue. At the surface of the tongue, we have little bumps called papillae and that’s where some food particles, bacteria, and dead cells are stored. The accumulation of these things can cause a white discoloration.
By regularly removing the waste from our tongue, you can “clean” and conduct a constant detoxification of the body. Cleaning the tongue improves the sensitivity of the taste buds, freshens your breath, and it also prevents the onset of cavities, plaque, and gum disease. That’s why we at Bright Side collected easy ways that can help you treat a white tongue and keep your mouth healthy.
Why your tongue can be white
Baking soda is an ingredient that has so many uses, from baking to mouth health — it’s like a magical ingredient. According to some research baking soda can increase the pH of our mouth and tongue, resulting in a decrease in bacteria. Get lemon juice and make a paste to use as an exfoliator to remove dead cells and bacteria from your tongue.
8. Use a tongue scraper.
Like a toothbrush, a tongue scraper can also be used to get rid of bacteria just like we remove it from our teeth to prevent plaque. On the surface of the tongue, bacteria and dead cells build up, so by using this method we are basically scraping them away. The correct way to use it is by placing it at the very back of our tongue and pulling it out, down to the tip. Rinse the scraper and you can repeat this cleansing method multiple times. We don’t know why, but this method seems fun to try and if you don’t own a tongue scraper you can always use a spoon.
Dos and Don’ts for a healthy tongue
Our tongue is a crucial part of our mouth, without it we wouldn’t be able to talk, taste food, or swallow without an issue. A really cool trait the tongue has is that it can move and change forms because it consists of a group of muscles. That’s the reason why you can roll your tongue like a taco.Since our tongue is very important and helpful for us, we might as well try to keep it clean and fresh, so next we are sharing some things you can do to achieve that.
1. Drink more water.
How much water should we consume daily? This is a great question with a not-so-clear answer. To know how much water you should be consuming you have to consider factors such as your body weight, activity level, and the climate of where you live.Some of the benefits of drinking water are: skin, joint, and kidney health, it also flushes our bodily waste, regulates our temperature, makes nutrients accessible to the whole body, and helps us form saliva. Our saliva is important because it can fight germs in our mouths, so when we are dehydrated our mouth can accumulate more germs. Dehydration and dry mouth can provoke a white tongue. Drink regularly and always carry a bottle of water with you so that you can instantly replenish the level of water in your body if you’re thirsty. Dehydration also has other symptoms: dark urine, exhaustion, fatigue, headaches, and rare urination.
2. Improve your oral hygiene.
Everything is logical and simple here: Careful oral hygiene can help reduce the number of bacteria. It’s necessary to clean both the teeth and the tongue after each meal — in the morning and before bedtime. Bacteria starts forming in your mouth the minute you clean it, so regular cleaning sessions can help you to avoid oral health issues.Ideally, our oral hygiene routine should look like this: clean the teeth and tongue, use dental floss, use an oral irrigator, and use disinfectant mouthwash. If it just so happens that you’re one of those people that has a gag reflex every time you touch the back of your tongue — you can try to clean it really slowly, but please know that it’s important to clean back there too.
3. Maintain a healthy diet.
As kids, we don’t really pay attention to our eating habits since our parents are responsible for our well-being, but as adults, it’s our responsibility to know which foods are contributing to our health. Eating a proper, balanced diet, aside from contributing to your overall health can also help to keep your tongue in good shape. Vitamins, minerals, calcium, lean protein, and fiber are the things you should look for in a diet.