Why You Need to Start Cleaning Your Tongue
Tongue scraping you say? Sounds unpleasant. You might be horrified to hear that debris, bacteria and dead cells build up on the surface of the tongue over time, which can lead to bad breath and poor oral health. Even if you take great care in your oral hygiene by brushing twice a day and flossing, you may still be missing the one key step that keeps your oral health tip-top.
Cleaning your tongue with a tongue scraper is a great way to remove unwanted build up of bacteria and may help improve your mouth hygiene, sense of taste, prevent bad breath, and promote better gut health. We’re taking a look at the idea behind tongue scraping and how it may benefit your oral health. Plus, we’d like to introduce you to one of our favorite oral hygiene brands that can assist with improving your oral care.
Benefits of a tongue scraper
Improved sense of taste
Dead cells and food debris can begin to coat the tongue and clog taste buds. Evidence suggests that using a tongue scraper twice daily may improve your sense of taste, by removing this build up and exposing your taste buds. Doing so, may improve your ability to taste different flavors, such as sweet, savory, sour, etc. So whip yourself up something delicious and see if you notice an improvement.
Prevent bad breath
Nobody wants bad breath, especially when it comes to being intimate with someone. Volatile sulfur compounds are responsible for the dreaded bad breath smell. These are sulfur-producing bacteria that live on the surface of the tongue and can build up over time and may lead to halitosis - a condition characterized by severe bad breath. Cleaning your tongue daily may help remove the coating of these smelly bacteria, for fresher breath.
Remove bacteria
Good oral hygiene, such as brushing and flossing, removes bacteria in the mouth that can cause tooth decay and other oral problems like gum disease. By doing this, we hope to avoid unpleasant trips to the dentist for fillings. But brushing and flossing ignores the tongue, which harbors a huge amount of bacteria as well. It is believed that removing bacteria on the tongue through tongue scraping, not only helps freshen breath, but may also help prevent tooth decay, cavities, and gum disease. One study found that cleaning the tongue twice daily helped remove bacteria called Mutans streptococci and Lactobacilli, known to cause dental decay.
Improve gut health
The gut microbiome consists of a combination of bacteria, viruses and fungi, which play an important role in our overall health. They control digestion, support a healthy immune system, regulate energy levels, and much more. Some microbes in the gut are beneficial and some are harmful. A healthy gut contains the right balance of “good'' and “bad” microbes, which work in symbiosis together. When disruptions to this delicate balance occur, it can lead to inflammation and the release of harmful toxins and metabolites, which can all impact overall health.
Harmful oral bacteria can travel in the saliva to the digestive system and cause imbalances in the gut microbiome. Regular tongue cleaning may remove these bacteria and help support a healthy gut.
Start cleaning your tongue
After all this talk about tongue bacteria, you might be feeling a bit frantic to clean your tongue. If you would like to experiment with tongue scrapers, but don't know where to start, you’re in the right place.
We’re big fans of the Rasana Tongue Cleaner by Boka. This tongue scraper has a curved, stainless steel loop for gentle and effective cleaning of the tongue, to remove bacteria build up and freshen breath. Why not combine it with one of their fluoride-free, non-toxic toothpastes for extra fresh breath and a healthy mouth. We like Boka for their alternative take on oral hygiene products, which are high-quality and effective, yet use safe ingredients that won’t be detrimental to your health.
Click here to browse our full second collection, from the brands we have tested, tried and curated for you.
If you’re interested in learning more about health and wellness topics, sign up for our email list by adding your email here. We’ll send you a roundup of our weekly articles so you never miss the details.
The content provided in this article is provided for information purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice and consultation, including professional medical advice and consultation; it is provided with the understanding that PRVNT LLC (“PRVNT-LA”) is not engaged in the provision or rendering of medical advice or services. The opinions and content included in the article are the views of the writer only, and PRVNT-LA does not endorse or recommend any such content or information, or any product or service mentioned in the article. You understand and agree that PRVNT-LA shall not be liable for any claim, loss, or damage arising out of the use of, or reliance upon any content or information in the article.