When your busy meticulously cleaning your eight incisors, eight premolars, eight molars and four canines, it’s easy to overlook your tongue. Besides, how much food debris and plaque can a tongue really hold? While dentists continue to debate over the effectiveness of tongue cleaning vs. regular brushing of the teeth, there’s strong evidence suggesting it can fight bad breath (halitosis) and neutralize bacteria.

The practice of tongue cleaning dates back to the ancient Roman Empire, but it didn’t spread beyond Europe until the 18th century. By the turn of the 19th century, tools were invented specifically for cleaning one’s tongue. These tools were often crafted of materials like silver, ivory, bone, and turtle shells.

Modern-day tongue cleaners may differ from 19th century models in terms of style and design, but their purpose remains the same: to remove buildups of food, bacteria, plaque and other unwanted “remnants.” A typical modern-day tongue cleaner looks similar in appearance to a toothbrush, but the head is larger and flatter with more bristles. This ergonomic design offers the highest level of comfort while effectively eliminating food debris on the tongue. (more…)