Overall, tongue scrapers are definitely a worthwhile hygiene tool to use. They are effective at removing bacteria from the tongue surface, which can help to improve oral health. So, if you are looking for an easy way to keep your mouth healthy, tongue scrapers are a great option!
You should scrape your tongue once a day, and most experts recommend that you do it after brushing either in the morning or evening.
Tongue scraping won't damage your taste buds. In fact, it might actually help them to work even better than before (because germs won't be covering them.)
Studies conclude that a tongue scraper benefits your oral health in more ways than one and significantly enough to add the practice to your daily oral hygiene routine. Tongue scraping can remove bad breath causing bacteria resulting in harm and odor in your mouth.
White tongue is caused by excessive bacteria in the mouth that's collected on the tongue. It can be caused by numerous conditions, such as poor dental hygiene, medication use, dry mouth, and smoking. Tongue scraping is a fast and easy way to remove this bacteria build-up and resolve the problem.
The research found that after four weeks, participants did have improvements in constipation and overall oral health. DiFoggio says tongue scraping can contribute to overall health by removing toxins from entering the body due to the removal of bacteria from the tongue.
Taste the Difference
Dentists emphasize the importance of twice-daily brushing and flossing because they want to improve their patient's oral hygiene and health. They're also trying to improve their palate. A 2004 study found that two weeks of tongue scraping resulted in an improved sense of taste.
The process of tongue scraping helps to stimulate the internal organs through lightly massaging them which helps to improve digestion, increases your sense of taste and cleanses toxins and bacteria from the mouth.
Indeed, studies suggest that tongue scraping can remove bacteria and improve bad breath more than brushing. Tongue scraping devices made from plastic, copper or stainless steel are available at most drug stores and generally cost under $10.
Conclusion: Metal tongue scrapers win
Ultimately, metal tongue scrapers are the better choice for your oral care, health and the planet. If you're on the market for one, consider choosing our stainless steel tongue cleaner. It got thick durable handles, a U-shape and comes to you completely plastic-free!
Keep scraping until your tongue looks and feels clean. Scrape Before or After Brushing – You can use your tongue scraper either before or after you brush. But no matter when you use it, always rinse your mouth afterward.
Apply enough pressure to clean your tongue, but do not use excessive force because it may harm your taste buds or break your tongue's surface.
"The bacteria that tongue scraping removes can cause decay and bad breath," says dentist Marc Lowenberg, founder of Lowenberg, Lituchy & Kantor. "The tongue has a large surface area, and it is easy for debris to get stuck on it. Rinsing helps, but using a tongue scraper is very beneficial."
To get the most out of your tongue scraping, tongue scraping should be done first thing in the morning to remove bacteria that has built up overnight as your body detoxifies and you should stick your tongue out all the way and scrape from the very back to the tip, never in reverse.
A healthy tongue should be pink, pain-free, and covered in tiny projections called papillae. Changes in its color, texture, or sensations could indicate issues with your oral health along with other conditions within your body.
There are two tools you can use to clean your tongue: your toothbrush or a tongue scraper, which you can find for cheap in the dental section of most drugstores. It's most effective to clean your tongue after brushing but before rinsing so that there is still some toothpaste residue in your mouth.
Bacteria that take up residence on your tongue
The back of the tongue, especially, has many grooves and crevices, making it the perfect dwelling place for odor-producing bacteria to grow and emit VSCs.
Bacterial accumulation occurs on the scraper tools if they are not cleaned regularly. Every time you use a dirty scraper, you actually put these bad bacteria back into your mouth. It might be the reason why tongue scraping isn't working. To prevent this from happening, rinse the product with warm water after each use.
A good choice to replace a tongue scraper is a tongue brush. This is a device designed specifically to clean the surface of your tongue and remove bacteria. The tongue brush has a wide and broad surface with shorter bristles than a toothbrush.
Your body odor can change due to hormones, the food you eat, infection, medications or underlying conditions like diabetes. Prescription-strength antiperspirants or medications may help.