Hygiene is one of the key things to prevent health issues and diseases. We see mandatory “wash your hands” signs for restaurant workers in restrooms and hear a lot about cleaning your hands thoroughly for food handling etc. In the mouth hygiene area, I have not seen the same passion to keep one’s tongue clean. Have you ever thought of that?

I have heard of folks suggesting cleaning your tongue at the time of brushing teeth with the same toothbrush by brushing your tongue. That is gross and ineffective! People from India, at least a large section of the populace, use what is called a tongue cleaner. The tongue cleaner is generally tied to the toothbrush with a string or a clip at the ends so that you won’t miss the tongue cleaner when you pick up the brush to clean your teeth. Following teeth brushing you clean your tongue with the tongue cleaner – as simple as that.

Here is how a typical, effective and cheap tongue cleaner looks:

I am sure retailers, both online and brick and mortar, sell tongue cleaners but to get something like the one shown here, get one from an Indian grocery store or directly from India.

When you see on TV where folks with rather large, open mouths talking, you probably notice their tongues that show a whitish layer. That means their tongues are not clean i.e., unhygienic. Why not the passion for white teeth (hopefully, clean teeth) also include an advocacy for a clean tongue?