White Coated Tongue a Bacteria Haven
It’s hard to notice for yourself if you have bad breath. This is because our noses tend to ignore backgrounds odors. For people who have bad breath, it’s also hard to notice the biofilm that coats their tongues unless you spend time studying your tongue in the mirror. For some people though, the white coating can be thick and visible. Nasty!! This coating consists of bacteria, food particles and body cells.
The sulfur compound producing bacteria that live on your tongue and create this coating are the main cause of bad breath. Check it yourself in the morning. As soon as you wake up, go to your bathroom and check your tongue out in the mirror, this is the time when a coated tongue is really visible.
The tongue is where the highest concentration of bacteria is found. This is the reason why dentists who are concerned with preventing bad breath recommend their patients to scrape and clean their tongues. Studies and researches have shown that people who scrape their tongue have reduced bacteria and bad breath. Simply gargling mouthwash will not do the job. A noncellular matrix – slimy stuff – holds the coating together on your tongue and protects the bacteria. Physically scraping the tongue breaks this matrix, removes much of the coating, and exposes the bacteria. Combine this tongue cleaning with oxygenating dental products and drinking adequate water, and you will really break that coated tongue and bad breath cycle.
But remember, the coating will always return. So the need to scrape your tongue on a daily basis always exists. The next time you wake up and see a white coating on your tongue, don’t just look at it, scrape it off and look forward to fresh smelling breath for the day.
