Maintaining good oral hygiene is critical for your health, and tongue scrapping can be an excellent addition to your oral care routine! Tongue scraping involves using a tool to scrape the tongue to remove any bacteria and debris that may be present. Throughout this article, we will discuss the benefits of tongue scraping, how to do it correctly, and why it can be an excellent part of your daily oral hygiene routine.
What You Should Know About Tongue Scraping
Tongue scraping can offer many benefits for oral hygiene and health. The goal is to remove any leftover bacteria in your mouth contributing to gum disease, cavities, and bad breath. It’s considered a fast way to remove any debris and leftover particle that may be missed while brushing and flossing your teeth. While brushing and flossing can do plenty for your mouth, one of the leading causes of bad breath is not properly cleaning your tongue!
Some of the benefits that tongue scraping can do include:
- Fresher Breath: Any bacteria on the tongue can cause bad breath, and tongue scraping helps remove these bacteria, leaving behind fresher breath.
- Improved Taste: Your tongue is often coated with debris that can affect your taste buds. Removing this bacterial layer with tongue scraping can help improve your sense of taste.
- Better Oral Health: Tongue scraping helps remove bacteria that cause cavities and gum disease, thus improving your oral health.
- Better Digestion: The tongue is an essential organ for your digestion, and removing any leftover bacteria with tongue scraping can help improve your digestion overall.
Tongue scraping is a simple, easy process that anyone can do, and it can be done in the comfort of your home. Here’s what we recommend to do tongue scraping correctly:
- Choose The Right Tool: While tongue scrapers are available in almost every convenience store and made with all sorts of materials, always search for ones with the ADA seal of approval. By seeking out this seal, you can be certain you’re using tools safe for your mouth.
- Clean and Position The Scraper: Before using the tongue scraper, clean it with warm water and soap. Once fully washed, open your mouth and stick your tongue out. Place the scraper at the back of your tongue and gently scrape forward.
- Repeat, Rinse, and Store: Repeat the process at least five times, rinsing the scraper with warm water after each scrape. Then once you’re done, rinse your mouth thoroughly with warm water, rinse off the scraper, and place it in a cool, dry place for storage.
While tongue scraping can offer many benefits, it’s not suitable for everyone. People who should avoid tongue scraping include those with a sensitive gag reflex, those with current infections in the mouth, and those with tongue piercings.
Visit St. Clair Dental PLLC Today For Your Dental Cleaning!
Tongue scraping is a simple, effective way to keep your mouth clean and improve your oral health. It’s considered a great practice that’s easy to do at home. If you have any concerns or questions, contact St. Clair Dental PLLC in Granbury, TX, by calling (817) 910-2880 to schedule an appointment with Dr. Maureen Karl.