The use of a tongue scraper in natural dental care is one grounded in Ayurvedic medicine. Sometimes also called a tongue cleaner, a tongue scraper is a simple curved piece of metal (or sometimes plastic) that you gently scrape along the tongue as a part of your dental regime along with your natural toothpaste and bamboo or biodegradable toothbrush each morning and night.

What materials are tongue scrapers usually made from?

We don't stock plastic tongue scrapers, but we have two alternatives in the metal options, stainless steel or copper. In Ayurvedic medicine, the copper tongue cleaner is the traditional choice as copper is naturally resistant to bacteria. Many combine it with the practice of oil pulling.

How do you use a tongue cleaner?

The best time for tongue scraping is first thing in the morning. Upon rising, before drinking anything, before food and before brushing your teeth, stick out your tongue, hold your tongue scraper by the handles, place it as far back on your tongue as possible and then use a firm and steady pressure to scrape the surface of your tongue in one stroke. Rinse the tongue cleaner and repeat anywhere from 7 to 10 times.

Why do I need a tongue cleaner?

We get asked this question a lot. If you're already brushing your teeth with a toothbrush and it's in your mouth already, why not just brush your tongue? The idea of the tongue cleaner is to remove bacteria from your mouth, and brushing your tongue simply moves the bacteria from your tongue on to the bristles of the toothbrush.

A 2004 study by the Journal of Periodontology showed that tongue scrapers removed around 75% of volatile sulfur compounds from the mouth while a toothbrush removed 45%.

Excessive brushing of the tongue will also irritate the tastebuds on the surface of your tongue. The more gentle approach is to use a metal tongue scraper.

Performing the ritual of tongue cleaning each morning on rising can help prevent bad breath from developing during the day, improve overall oral health and decrease the level of bad bacteria in the mouth.

Can I share a tongue scraper with someone?

Because our tongue cleaners are made from metal, either a copper tongue cleaner or a stainless steel tongue cleaner can be shared with another member of the family as long as they are cleaned in between use.

Will tongue cleaning improve taste?

Yes. A lot of users report their tastebuds work better after daily morning tongue cleaning. It can help you notice a greater difference between the five different tastes in cuisine - salty, sweet, sour, bitter and umami. Some resources suggest there are seven, and add fat and spicy to the list. No matter how many different types of tastes you think there are, having a clean tongue helps you taste them all better.

What do I need to be careful of when using a tongue scraper?

You can stimulate the gag reflex and vomit by overstimulating the very back of your tongue. When you first start the ritual of tongue cleaning, it is suggested that you start from the middle of the tongue and then each time you clean, start just a little further back until you know how far back you can tolerate without stimulating your gag reflex.

If you push too hard, it is possible to cut your tongue. The higher risk though is if your tongue scraper develops any uneven or rough edges. In between uses, store it with care to avoid any damage. When starting the ritual, be sure to gently scrape so you can get used to it, even if it's less effective at the start. You can very gently increase pressure when you become more familiar with the process. It's important not to cause any damage to your tongue.