Oral care is a simple task that we are encouraged to perform twice a day. Brushing is easy. Most people have this down to a highly-efficient practice that we do morning and night. Flossing and other steps, however, may come as more of a challenge. Chore may be a better word. We realize that the idea of adding another task to oral care may sound unappealing. We’re going to bring it up anyway. It is important that we support our patients with suggestions that can improve their oral health. This one, tongue scraping, may do even more than that.
At this point, you may be shaking your head already. Scrape my tongue? Yes. Hear us out.
What Tongue Scraping Is And What It Does
You may instinctively perform some version of tongue scraping when you brush your teeth. As folks have learned that the back of their tongue can be a haven for bacteria and toxins, the habit of brushing this part of the tongue has occurred. This is not beneficial. Tongue brushing and tongue scraping are two different things. When you brush, you leave bacteria behind. Furthermore, those that are picked up are likely to adhere to your toothbrush, only to jump ship the next time bristles are in your mouth.
True tongue scraping, the kind that will provide you with the most benefit, involves gently moving a non-sharp, curved scraper from the back of the tongue to the front. Tongue-scrapers can be purchased online or at most drug stores. The practice is really simple, takes only about a minute a day, and offers significant benefits such as:
- Efficient cleansing of the mouth. Brushing and flossing, but missing the tongue, can mean a continual struggle with bacteria.
- Better breath. Did you know that the back of the tongue is a primary source of bad breath? This is because the toxins and bacteria that live in the biofilm that forms here emit odorous byproduct.
- A stronger sense of taste. Scraping your tongue will not strengthen your sense of taste literally, it will just enhance it by removing the junk that is covering the taste buds at the back of your mouth. Being able to taste food is one of the first things patients remark on after adding tongue-scraping to their daily routine.
- Where there is taste, there is better digestion. One of the reasons we have taste buds is because our sense of taste prompts the digestive process. When we taste our food, beneficial acids are produced in the stomach to prepare for the breakdown of food.
We are committed to helping our patients enjoy lifelong oral health and smiles they love. For more information on our general and cosmetic dentistry services, call our Beverly Hills office at 310-276-4537.
