So, I remembered I forgot some of the most important daily breath hygiene advice from my last post...
Clean your tongue--everyday! This is something very often missed but is very important if you want to prevent bad breath. Brushing the very back of your tongue closest to the throat is the most important. A variety of bacteria can live in this area in the recesses of your tongue and literally create stenches that resemble feces, corpses, vomit, sulfur, etc. Gross!
Getting back there can be a bit difficult if you are a gagger but I think you can get better with practice. There are many different devices that can be helpful besides your bulky toothbrush. Some of the flatter ones are better for easier access. There are some products on the market that have a built in tongue cleaner on the flip side of the toothbrush. These probably aren't your best bet because the bristles tickle your throat and cause you to gag. You should be able to find some good tongue cleaners in the oral hygiene section of your favorite store.
More incentive: If you do not brush your tongue you can get a build-up of the keratinized layer. This can give it a hairy appearance. Gross! I was going to post a picture but I don't think anyone would appreciate it. If you are curious look up "hairy tongue."
2 comments:
I have been a big tongue brusher. I get way back until I gag several times. I started coughing for months at a time. I asked my nose, mouth, throat surgeon (thyroid removal) about it and he asked if I got heartburn alot which would irritate the back of my throat. I dont get heartburn but after contemplation, decided to try and stop brushing quite so far back. After several months, the cough went away. Which is worse, bad breath or constant dry cough?
Wow, I have never heard of this. I don't think you need to be THAT aggressive! Good work on the hygiene though.
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