Tongue Scraping: Working with Brushing and Flossing

Benefits of Cleaning The Tongue

Many people who use their toothbrush to brush their teeth are also using the same brush to scrape clean their tongues. Tongue scrapers are small dental tools that resemble spoons or shedding blades and made of wood, metal, ivory, and whalebone. Currently, they can easily bought cheap at Amazon, now made of plastic or copper. 

Cleaning the tongue with these tools removes bacteria that can contribute to bad breath, dental decay, as well as pathogens that are associated with gum and cardiovascular disease. The tongue is the most neglected oral structure, especially the back part. 

Tongue scraping seems to be in the limelight now as working with the tandem of brushing and flossing, part and parcel of oral hygiene in the pursuit of good oral health. However, you might not realize that scraping the tongue is not a new fad. It has been practiced for centuries in Europe and Africa. But experts say that even though tongue scraping does in fact remove bacteria from the tongue, it will build back up if not done regularly, just like with plaque on your teeth.

There are other benefits of tongue scraping apart from eliminating bacteria and improving your breath, the routine can improve your sense of taste. Your tongue may be able to better distinguish between bitter, sweet, salty, and sour sensations. It can improve the appearance of your tongue also. Excess buildup of food debris can change the color of your tongue so daily scraping can help and prevent discoloration coming back. 

According to the ADA, there’s no evidence to show that using a tongue scraper will prevent halitosis, which is chronic bad breath. It may provide temporary relief or freshness, but tongue scraping is not a miracle cure, and should not be considered as a substitute for daily brushing.

Hence, if you are wondering what else you can do to improve your oral hygiene, especially your breath, you can add once-a-day tongue scraping to your routine. It’s a quick and effective method.

However, experts say that you might be experiencing other issues on your tongue, such as appearances of white patches, hairy growths or sores, you must consult with your dentist right away. It is also part of good oral hygiene to go see your dentist for professional cleaning and oral examinations.

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More About Tongue Scraping in Lynnwood

If you want to know more about how to effectively use a tongue scraper, come by Song Dental in Lynnwood and we can teach you how.