Most of us have received a tongue-lashing in our lives -- but what about a good tongue cleansing? Seems dentists feel the procedure would clear up most cases of bad breath.
San Diego-area dentist Clifford Yudelman is selling a special Breath So Fresh tongue cleaner modeled after a device used centuries ago in China. The cleaner is designed to reach areas you might not hit with your toothbrush, to clear away dead cells, decaying food and bacteria that hide at the back of the tongue.
Yudelman also sells Breath Gel and ZyClor to go with the device and help the cleaning process. He says tongue cleaners like his have been used since 100 AD, and he hopes the new awareness will add tongue cleaning to brushing and flossing as essential parts of oral hygiene.
A recent article in the Journal of the American Dental Association indicated 50 percent of the population will have bad breath unless they clean their tongues, Yudelman says. "That's a statistic that can actually take one's breath away." Yudelman's Web site, naturally, sells the cleaner, but also has some free tips for fresher breath.
