5 Benefits of Tongue Scraping

Gwyneth Paltrow and Gisele Bündchen are a few celebrities that have touted tongue scraping. Sure, they’re no experts but they do need a clean tongue in their line of profession, not unlike some politicians that could use a good tongue scraping themselves.

Regardless, real science may be weighing in on this practice used in the traditional Hindu system of healing known as Ayurvedic medicine. It is easy to do and may surprise you with its potential positive health results.

These 5 benefits of tongue scraping could be a good addition to your daily morning and evening routine.

Bad Breath Breaker

You may take your tongue for granted but this powerful muscle works non-stop while remaining on the front lines of your oral world. With hundreds of microscopic grooves it can trap a wide variety of material which may sit, stewing, longer than you may want. Some of this material is or turns into sulfur one of the leading causes of bad breath.

A study published in the Journal of Periodontology reports that,

“It is estimated that approximately 85% of all halitosis cases have their origin within the mouth; of these, 50% are caused by tongue residues.”

In conclusion, the study showed,

“Although the tongue coating was removed by both methods [toothbrush and tongue scraper], the tongue scraper performed better in reducing the production of volatile sulfur compounds.”

Plaque Inhibitor

Tongue scraping doesn’t reduce tooth plaque on its own however it has been found that it may contribute to preventing plaque formation. A study published in BMC Oral Health found that tongue scraping affected the reconstruction of bacterial flora, the good bacteria that battles plaque formation.

“Tongue cleaning reduced the amount of bacteria in tongue coating. However, the cleaning had no obvious contribution to inhibit dental plaque formation. Furthermore, recovery of the total bacterial amount induced an increase in F. nucleatum [good flora] in both tongue coating and dental plaque. Thus, it is recommended that tongue cleaning and tooth brushing should both be performed for promoting oral health.”

Tastebud Re-Boot

If your diet contains a good amount of dairy, cheese, oils, and other processed foods chances are that you could be doing your tastebuds a grave disservice. Add in vices such as tobacco, alcohol and coffee and this compromise could significantly increase.

Tongue scraping just may help clear the thick, lasting residue these foods could leave behind robbing you of the true taste of foods. Also, it may help you prevent the cycle of piling on sauces, salts and other additives to your food due to the fact that your tastebuds are so affected you’ll do anything just to taste something.

Another study published in the Journal of Periodontology concluded that,

“Tongue cleaning improves taste sensation and seems to reduce the substrata for putrefaction, rather than the bacterial load.”

Weight Loss

Digestion starts in the mouth and when your tongue is overloaded with stubborn material it may impede a healthy start to your food breakdown.

Tongue scraping removes these microscopic obstructions and clears salivary glands which could result in assisting weight loss through proper first stage digestion. Plus, when your food tastes better your brain is capable of satiating faster which, for some, may slow down appetite cravings.

Prevents Illness

Some believe that by gently scraping the growth of tongue bacteria may stop germs from entering the system and causing illness. One study reported that this may be the case for the prevention of strep throat.

In the Journal of Contemporary Dental Practices a study by Indian researchers concluded that,

“Both tongue coating removal methods [brushing and scraping] evaluated were efficient in reducing mutans streptococci level. This implies that physical removal of the coating on the dorsum of the tongue is important and not the method used for the same.”

The Huffington Post reports that,

“According to the Mayo Clinic, oral bacteria and poor oral hygiene are linked to several other diseases, including diabetes, cardiovascular disease and even infertility.”

These 5 benefits of tongue scraping show how this simple practice, once or twice per day, could be highly significant when it comes to your health. Tongue scrapers come in all shapes, sizes and materials such as plastic, metal and copper. Try out a few until you feel you are getting a good glide and substantial pickup of material, don’t worry, you’ll know. Also, keep your scraper very clean, you’re putting it in your mouth for gosh sake and don’t press too hard so as not to hurt your tongue.