I stopped using a tongue brush once.
It was supposed to clean my tongue, but one thought kept bothering me:
Is it really okay to use this every day?
The first one was a brush
The tongue cleaner I used before looked a little like a modified toothbrush.
Using it was simple: brush the surface of the tongue.
But after a while, I started wondering:
Could this damage my tongue?
I didn’t like the feeling, so eventually I stopped using it.
This time, I chose a cloth type
Recently, tongue care caught my attention again.
This time, instead of a brush, I chose a soft cloth-type tongue cleaner.
It feels quite different.
Rather than brushing, it feels more like gently wiping the tongue.
For me, this feels easier to use every day.
Does it work?
Honestly, I don’t know yet.
I haven’t noticed any dramatic change in my mouth.
But it doesn’t feel uncomfortable either.
So I’ve decided to keep using it for a little longer.
Do people clean their tongues overseas?
I was curious, so I looked into it.
Tongue-cleaning tools are also used and studied outside Japan.
Two common types found in research are:
tongue brushes
and
tongue scrapers or tongue cleaners.
Some studies suggest that tongue cleaning may reduce tongue coating and markers associated with bad breath.
However, there is still no clear answer about the best tool, how much pressure to use, or the ideal frequency.
I also found much less research on cloth-type cleaners like the one I’m using than on brushes and scrapers.
Harder is not necessarily better
The tongue is part of the body too.
Cleaning it doesn’t mean we need to scrub it hard.
If something hurts or feels uncomfortable, there is no reason to force ourselves to continue.
The first time, I thought:
“This might be too harsh.”
So I stopped.
This time, I thought:
“I might be able to keep using this.”
Same idea, different tool — and a very different impression.
Curious? Give it a try
Not everyone needs to use a tongue brush or tongue cleaner.
And I can’t say that I’ve noticed a big difference myself.
But I was curious.
So I tried it.
If it doesn’t suit me, I can stop.
For now, I’ll keep using this cloth-type cleaner a little longer.
Let’s see if anything changes.
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