Tongue scraping: The simple daily habit that transforms your oral health

A crucial hygiene practice has been highlighted as a daily necessity, which is often overlooked is tongue scraping.

As the new year begins, some people are keen to adopt healthier habits to enhance their overall wellbeing.

Regardless of your resolutions or goals, it is a routine that many may neglect to include into their oral hygiene.

Tongue scraping is a vital step which requires using a device to scrape the surface of the tongue, removing dead skin cells, bacteria and even leftover food particles.

This isn't a new concept, with renowned brand Oral-B informing that it has been practised for "hundreds of years, with some ancient cultures using tools made from ivory and whalebones as tongue scrapers.”

Oral-B stated: "As well as functioning as a tongue cleaner, scrapers can also improve your breath and sense of taste, providing a boost to your all-around oral hygiene.”

"Tongue scraping cannot replace brushing or other elements of your oral hygiene routine, but it can add to it and help improve oral health in the long and short term,” they concluded.

How to scrape your tongue?

While you are scraping your tongue, start from the furthest point back, drawing the scraper from rear to tip with gentle pressure.

After each stroke, ensure you clean the scraper to clear any accumulated debris and continue the scraping routine several times until your tongue appears and feels fresh.