I’m gonna let you in on a little hygiene secret for a healthy tongue and mouth…

And it’s called a tongue scraper.

Why am I letting you in on this secret?

Because I think every single person should add this to their dental routine!

So What Is A Tongue Scraper And How Does It Give Me A Healthy Tongue?

Credit: Wellcome Library, London.

Tongue scraping is actually an Ayurvedic self-care ritual. (I’ll tell you more about Ayurveda in another post). A tongue scraper itself is a long, thin, flat piece of metal that is bent in a “U” shape.

While we sleep our bodies are hard at work detoxing themselves and depositing toxins on the surface of our tongues. If we don’t scrape off the excess toxins on our tongue then they can be reabsorbed in our bodies when we swallow. Gross.

Here’s Why You Should Hop On The Tongue-scraping Bandwagon:

• Halitosis sucks. It really does and you can most likely fight halitosis with a couple scrapes of the tongue. Bad breath comes from bacteria that sits on the back of the tongue so removing the bacteria is pretty important so you can have a healthy tongue.
• It opens up our taste buds. Read for yourself… this study shows that tongue scraping improves taste sensations. If there is a coating of bacteria covering those taste buds then you’re probably missing out on a lot of subtle flavors!
• It improves dental health. Leaving bacteria to build up in your mouth can lead to periodontal problems, tooth decay, cavities, plaque build-up… everything you don’t want to happen in your mouth.
• It can help boost immunity. Let’s face it… If we keep re-introducing bacteria into our bodies then we’re not really doing ourselves a favor. The tongue is part of the first line of defense for our immune systems, so by scraping off the excess bacteria we are helping boost our overall immune system.
• It improves digestive health. This is actually one of the main reasons why I started tongue scraping 8 years ago (yes you read that right, I’ve had one of these in my arsenal for 8 years!) A healthy tongue plays an important part in digestion and since digestion starts with taste, we want to keep it free and clear of any toxins so it can function optimally. Plus, scraping also activates saliva production which helps break down our food.

Watch the video below for a more in-depth explanation of why you should use a tongue scraper.

Where Do I Get One From?

If you’re ready to get a tongue scraper I recommend one that is stainless steel and has soft round edges. It will last forever, won’t rust and fits perfectly in your overnight bag so you can always keep it handy.

You can find them at most health food stores or online and they are relatively cheap.

Here are a few ones that I recommend:

• • • • • Absolute Ayurvedic Tongue Scraper
        • Dr. Tung’s Tongue Cleaner

 

How Do I Do It?

It’s best to do in the morning, immediately after you wake up and BEFORE you drink water. If you drink water first you will push the bacteria back down into your gut, which defeats the purpose.

1. Stand in front of the mirror
2. Stick out your tongue
3. Gently scrape from back to front, starting in the middle and then moving out to each side
4. Repeat about 5 – 7 times and rinse the tongue scraper in between

I recommend following this routine with a homemade mouth rinse using doTERRA’s OnGuard Protective Blend. Combine 1 drop of this essential oil with 4 oz. of water and swish for 1 minute.

Have I convinced you yet? Go ahead and click on one of those links above and purchase a tongue scraper. If you’re really serious about your dental hygiene, then grab the doTERRA OnGuard Protective blend from the link above.

I challenge you to try this for 2 weeks and then see how happy your taste buds are after :)

Lindsey Victoria

Lindsey is the author of A Life Well-Balanced, a lifestyle blog dedicated to helping people live a more balanced life – physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually.