When it comes to maintaining oral hygiene, most of us restrict ourselves to brushing teeth twice a day. Tongue cleaning is also an essential part of overall oral health. You can use either a tongue scraper or your toothbrush for this purpose. Cleaning removes the extra particles from the surface of your tongue that causes bad breath. 

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Here are 5 reasons why tongue cleaning is as important as brushing teeth:

Prevent tooth decay

Your tongue is the most neglected part of your mouth. The bacteria present on the surface of your tongue can lead to problems such as tooth decay, gum infection, and cavities. You must always scrape your tongue lightly after brushing your teeth to get rid of harmful bacteria.

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Improves the appearance of the tongue

Not cleaning your tongue can lead to a build-up of excess debris, which might make it look white or grey because the coating is composed of food particles and bacteria. Proper cleaning of the tongue with a scrapper helps in getting rid of dead skin. Regular cleaning of the tongue will help in keeping it pink, fresh, and healthy.

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Enhances the sense of taste

Proper cleaning of your tongue helps in removing the microbial coating and enhancing your taste buds, enabling you to better distinguish among bitter, sweet, sour, and salty food.

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Reduces bad breath

Brushing your teeth twice a day, chewing gums/mouth fresheners, and still not able to get rid of bad breath? Well, the reason could be the bacteria on your tongue. To keep bad breath at bay, make sure that tongue cleaning is an important part of your brushing routine.

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Improves digestion

Tongue cleaning gets rid of bacterial build-up which could harm your digestive process. The process of tongue cleaning also produces a lot of saliva, which helps in the breakdown of food. Bacteria on your tongue make you prone to gas and indigestion so it is necessary to get rid of them every day.