The Benefits of a Tongue Scraper
The tongue scraper (or tongue cleaner) dates back to historic times in India, but its benefits - especially the promotion of fresh breath and oral hygiene - have recently obtained a lot of attention in the West. Using a tongue scraper stands to reward anyone willing to give it a try, and it is well worth knowing the advantages a tongue scraper must offer your overall health and wellbeing.

Benefits of Using a Tongue Scraper

Clears toxic compounds & bacteria from the tongue
Helps remove coating on the tongue that leads to bad breath
Helps remove undigested food particles from the tongue
Increases the sense of taste
Stimulates overall oral & digestive health
Gently stimulates the internal organs
Boosts your awareness of your state of health
For Oral Hygiene and Clean Breath

Oral hygiene and fresh breath are clearly extremely high on the priority list for many individuals. Halitosis (or foul breath) is in fact a condition that can have a enormously negative impact on a person’s life, relationships, and self-esteem. And while foul breath is a very real difficulty for many, millions of others suffer from a crippling fear of having foul breath, even when they don’t.

In some instances, foul breath is the result of some type of periodontal problem and it is therefore recommended that you see your physician or dentist if you have recently developed halitosis. Current studies show that most cases of halitosis (85-90% of them) are a result of the metabolic outputs of naturally occurring bacteria inside the mouth, typically occupying the very back of the tongue. This region of the tongue offers a specifically hospitable environment for many anaerobic bacteria because it is comparatively undisturbed by typical activity in the mouth, it is drier than other parts of the mouth, it is often poorly cleansed, and it often harbors a number of substances on which the bacteria feed - tiny remnants of food, dead epithelial cells, and postnasal drip, to mention a few. These same bacteria have been implemented as players in periodontal problems, accumulation of plaque, tooth decay, gum ailments, and there is growing evidence that these bacteria are in addition connected to several systemic pathologies.

So let’s eliminate the bacteria, right? Well, not so fast. These bacteria are a essential component of our natural flora and, when in balance, they actually help to protect against other prospective difficulties. But, it’s factual that good oral hygiene can help keep bacteria in balance so that they can serve their purpose without wreaking havoc. Many people brush their tongues with toothbrushes and believe this to be sufficient, but a toothbrush is designed to clean the solid, unmoving structure in the teeth, not the spongy, flexible surface in the tongue. Using a tongue scraper to scrape the tongue gently dislodges bacteria as properly as their food source and is therefore one in the most effective means of combating tongue bacteria. Clinical studies have shown that the daily use of a tongue scraper results in a significant reduction in the anaerobic bacteria that cause bad breath and other problems