Tongue scraping is a good way to remove those adamant food particles and biofilm sticking to the surface of your tongue causing bad breath sometimes. Just like toothbrushes aid in brushing the teeth, tongue scrapers aid in scraping the tongue. They are dedicated small items slightly round in shape or a flexible strip made of plastic or steel. So how do we use the tongue scrapers and what are the detailed benefits in using them?

How to Use a Tongue Scraper?

If the scraper is round in shape, merely holding them would do. If they are strips of plastic is available in Indian markets, you have to flex them with both the hands into an inverted U shape. Target both the type of scrapers on the surface of the tongue.

• Start with the middle of the tongue and slowly scrape the surface of the tongue to the tip. Give slight pressure so that the contents on the tongue get scraped off in the process.
• You start from the middle of the tongue in the initial days to avoid getting a vomiting sensation.
• Always go from back of the tongue to the tip. Never on the reverse as it might hurt.
• Repeat the process of scraping until two or three times until you are satisfied.
• Every day make a slight progress until you reach the back of the tongue to scrap. Make sure you scrap only from the back to the tip however backwards you may want to start.
• The entire tongue scraping process should not take more than a few seconds.
• After scraping the tongue with your tongue scraper make it a point to thoroughly wash it with warm water before you store them.
• It needs to be understood that tongue scrapers cannot substitute a toothbrush.

Benefits of Tongue Scraper

• Removes Bacteria – By far this is one of the biggest benefits of tongue scraping They remove the bacteria from the tongue surface. They do not remove bacteria from the teeth and gum. For that, you need to do your regular brushing, flossing and mouthwash gargling.
• Removes Bad Breath – This is also one of the benefits of tongue scraping. But if the bad breath was due to some other reasons and not the bacteria on the tongue, then you have to consult your dentist.
• Improves tongue’s appearance – If your tongue has a whitish appearance, it is most probably due to the coating of the bacteria on the surface of the biofilm. The regular scrapping of the tongue can reduce this coating and make your tongue appear neat and aesthetic.
• Improves the taste of what you eat – A better-scraped tongue improves the sense of taste drastically. The taste buds probably function better on a clean tongue surface.
• Improvement in overall health – Many types of research have found a close link between a better oral health and overall health of your body. This is particularly true with the health of the heart. So oral health becomes complete with tongues getting clean too.

Can Toothbrush be used as a Tongue Scraper?

Though it is technically possible that tongues can be scraped using the bristles of the toothbrush, few studies have found that tongue scrapers were more effective than a toothbrush in scraping. Hence use a separate tongue scraper to accrue the best benefit of keeping a healthy oral regimen.