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Research on the benefits is still quite limited, but scraping at least twice a day could help improve any of the following:
Bad breath: Bacteria and food particles embedded in crevices are a major cause of bad breath. Clean bacteria and food off, and your mouth will feel much fresher.
Appearance: A heavy white buildup on your tongue looks and feels unpleasant. Use a tongue scraper and make sure you're drinking enough water.
Sense of taste: A physical coating over your taste buds might be stopping you from experiencing the full taste of the food you eat.
Overall better oral health: A clean tongue means fewer bacteria in your mouth overall, which can help slow the progress of dental caries and gum disease.
If you think you're suffering from chronic bad breath (halitosis) or your tongue is painful or discolored, you should visit your dentist for a health checkup and find out how you can improve it.
Toothbrushes are great for scrubbing tooth enamel, but not your tongue. This means that they are less effective than tongue scrapers at removing volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs) – a contributor to bad breath. This study from 2004 only monitored 10 people but found that a tongue scraper was 67% more effective at removing VSCs.
Secondly, chunky brush heads can easily trigger your gag reflex when you try to clean the back of your tongue. They're just not designed to be used in that part of your mouth.
The best way to clean your tongue to get rid of bacteria and improve bad breath is by tongue scraping following these simple steps:
Stick your tongue as far out of your mouth as it will comfortably go.
Place the scraper as far back as you can without gagging.
Exert enough force that the scraper sits flat against your tongue (but not so much that it hurts).
Slowly pull it forwards to the tip of your tongue.
Spit out any saliva and debris that has accumulated on your tongue, and rinse or wipe any gunk off the scraper.
Repeat several times, ensuring you have scraped the whole surface.
Wash your tongue scraper under running water and leave it out to dry.
Now that you know how to improve bad breath and get rid of bacteria by using a tongue scraper, it's easy to add this to your daily hygiene routine. The whole process should take less than a minute. You can clean your tongue twice a day, when you brush your teeth. But in fact, you can scrape more often than this. People who are especially conscious of bad breath-causing bacteria might clean their tongues after drinking coffee, smoking, or eating strongly scented foods, for instance.
Note that you shouldn't rinse your mouth with water or mouthwash if you have just brushed your teeth. This washes away the beneficial ingredients in your toothpaste. If you prefer to rinse your mouth after scraping then do it before, not after, brushing your teeth.
If you have problems with gagging when you clean the back of your tongue, you're not alone. After you get used to the sensation of scraping your tongue, you might find it becomes easier to place the scraper further back in your mouth without gagging. Some people find that a heavier tongue scraper is less likely to trigger their gag reflex than a lighter plastic one.
Although not widely practiced or recommended in the US, and most likely not essential according to your dentist, the various tongue scraper benefits, including relieving bad breath and getting rid of bacteria make it a worthwhile addition to your daily dental care routine.
Our advice is to use a tongue scraper rather than a toothbrush, and experiment with a couple of different styles if you don't like the first one you use. Generally the flatter it lies against your tongue, the easier you'll find it to clean your tongue without gagging – especially the back of your tongue.
Don't forget that you should still brush your teeth twice a day and clean between your teeth daily if you want to keep your mouth in top condition. Regular checkups with your dentist will help identify any more serious problems with your tongue, teeth or gums.
