Does tongue scraping help promote proper oral hygiene? We asked a dentist
Bacteria that thrive on tongues can lead to gum disease and bad breath, so regular scraping can improve your general mouth hygiene
Does tongue scraping work?
The short answer: Yes
You brush and floss your teeth and gargle with mouthwash twice a day, but are you as diligent when it comes to cleaning your tongue? Tongue cleaning is said to be essential to oral hygiene, but if you did not do it regularly, would it make a difference to the overall health of your mouth?
According to Dr Sandeep Jain, a dentist based in Lan Kwai Fong, the answer is yes. “When you clean your mouth, why would you just stop at your teeth?” he asks. “Proper oral hygiene involves cleaning the entire oral cavity – teeth, gums, and the tongue.”
Dr Jain says to think of your tongue as a deep pile carpet – unless you clean it, the bacteria will remain. The Porphyromonas gingivalis bacterium, in particular, can spread to the gums and cause gum disease. And if you have bad breath, chances are your tongue has not been cleaned in a while, as this problem is due to volatile sulphur compounds (VSCs) produced by bacteria on the tongue. Smoking, dehydration, illness and certain types of medication are also said to cause that whitish coating.
Tongue scrapers are inexpensive and are easy to use. Simply position the device at the back of the tongue before pressing it down firmly and dragging it forward, towards the front of the tongue. The device removes the coating, which usually appears as a viscous or mucous-like fluid. You may wish to repeat this process once or twice more. When you are done, rinse the scraper under running water to remove the debris.
As long as they are used correctly and gently, tongue scrapers are not harmful. “If you’re strapped for time you can probably just brush your tongue while brushing your teeth and use a tongue scraper once a week to keep your whole mouth clean,” says Dr Jain.