Five Amazing Benefits of Using a Tongue Scraper By Dr. Nathaniel Podilsky on May 24, 2017

Whatever your feelings about holistic medicine, there are certain practices that have proven clinical benefits and therefore are worth incorporating into your health care regimen. One of these is the ancient Indian practice of tongue scraping. Long before general dentistry existed as a form of medicine, people in India used tongue scrapers to remove the layer of bacteria, lingering food, dead cells, and other debris from their tongues as part of their daily rituals. Now, more than 3,000 years later, the practice has shown to have scientific merit, proving to be a worthy adjunct to brushing, flossing, and rinsing.

In discussing the benefits of tongue scrapers during appointments at his Edmonton, AB cosmetic, restorative, and general dentistry practice, Dr. Nathaniel Podilsky is careful to assure patients that tongue scraping is no mere fad. A tongue scraper will cost you no more than a couple of cups of coffee, and it will help you to maintain a clean, healthy mouth in between visits to our practice for your routine oral exams and professional cleanings. It offers a wealth of benefits, some of which you might not expect.

If you think that tongue scraping is an interesting oral health care tip, then wait until you meet Dr. Podilsky face-to-face. He has a lot more where this one came from! Schedule your initial consultation with Dr. Nathaniel Podilsky today.

The Top Five Benefits of Tongue Scraping

Your mouth is filled with bacteria, and brushing and flossing do only so much to remove those pests. You can certainly remove quite a lot of plaque from your teeth through proper brushing and flossing, but bacteria will find other places to hide. Your tongue provides a particularly hospitable location, with its soft, sponge-like texture and its porous surface.

Unlike brushing your teeth, brushing your tongue does little to remove bacteria. You need a stronger tool, one that won’t simply nudge bacteria down into the recesses of your tongue. A tongue scraper will remove that coating of bacteria and allow you to:

Make the flavors of your food come alive: Imagine if you were to put a literal coat over your tongue, covering up your taste buds. How would your food taste? Right now, you have a coat comprising bacteria, toxins, food particles, and other debris covering up your taste buds. A tongue scraper can remove it and let you enjoy your food like you’re tasting it for the first time.
Improve your digestion: The mouth is the beginning of the digestive system. When you taste your food better, you digest it better.
Have a stronger immune system: About half of the bacteria in your mouth reside on your tongue. Your tongue is an essential part of your immune system. Free it to do its job well by ridding it of those bacteria.
Get rid of bad breath: The number-one cause of bad breath is bacteria on the back of the tongue.
Boost your oral health: The bacteria on your tongue won’t necessarily stay put. Some will migrate to your teeth and gums, contributing to tooth decay and gum disease.