A tongue scraper is a convenient tool to easily promote oral hygiene. It is used to care for and thoroughly clean the tongue by freeing it of plaque. Tongue plaque can be easily and cleanly removed with this medical product by gently scraping the tongue.
What is a tongue scraper?
From a health point of view, the use of a tongue scraper is highly recommended. Especially on the back part of the tongue, coatings of food residues quickly form. In traditional healing medicine, tongue cleaning has been known for many centuries. For example, in the Indian healing art of Ayurveda. In the Asian region, tongue cleaning is a common ritual. In contrast, the use of a tongue scraper is not yet widespread in Europe. But since a clean tongue also corresponds to the ideal of beauty and health, the trend to use a tongue scraper is becoming more and more popular. From a health point of view, the use of a tongue scraper is highly recommended. Especially on the back part of the tongue, coatings of food residues quickly form. These coatings promote the development of harmful bacteria and fungi in the oral cavity. These can lead to inflammation of the oral mucosa and periodontal disease. Tongue coating can also cause unpleasant bad breath. Regular removal of this coating with a tongue scraper prevents inflammation and odors. The tongue scraper is used directly after brushing the teeth. To do this, it is pulled over the tongue several times from behind in the direction of the tip of the tongue. The coating removed in the process is rinsed off.
Shapes, types and types
A wide variety of materials, sizes and shapes are used for the mechanical tongue cleaner. In the past, flavored small twigs were used for mechanical cleaning. There are also high-quality tongue scrapers made of gold or silver. In particular, a silver tongue scraper is said to be particularly good for health. Furthermore, due to the material, tongue scrapers made of stainless steel are very durable. They are usually curved like a spring and are pulled across the tongue. In addition, there are flat shapes with an oval head shape, reminiscent of a wet razor. They are often made of plastic or wood and are less durable. Some tongue scrapers have a half-round with small brushes as an additional function, so that the tongue can also be brushed off. Also, there are tongue scrapers with a straight shape that are bent only when used over the tongue. Furthermore, there are models that have a kind of belly to better reach the tongue pit. Each user must decide for himself which of these models is best suited to his individual needs. For practice, a simple beginner’s model made of plastic, which is available in any well-stocked drugstore, is certainly also suitable.
Structure and mode of operation
There are tongue scrapers in the form of a loop, with a handle or sideways to pull like pliers. Tongue scrapers are used to scrape the coating off the tongue. Either a loop or a V-shaped head with an appropriate cleaning surface is used for this purpose. The tongue scraper is placed in the rear third of the tongue and then pulled forward over the tongue with a slight pressure. It is convenient to use the tongue scraper immediately after brushing the teeth. The process of scraping is repeated several times, at least three – to four times. Each time, the tongue scraper is placed at the back of the tongue and then pulled forward over the tongue. The coating removed in the process should be rinsed off the tongue scraper. After the cleaning process, the mouth can be thoroughly rinsed again with mouthwash. It is recommended to use the tongue scraper twice a day. In the morning as part of the morning wash and in the evening before going to bed. To prevent infections in the mouth area, the tongue scraper should also always be cleaned thoroughly. From a hygienic point of view, it is recommended to use a tongue scraper only personally and not together with other people. Thus, in the household, everyone should use their own tongue scraper.
Medical and health benefits
Thorough tongue cleaning is very important for optimal oral hygiene and helps maintain the health of the body. If coatings on the tongue are removed regularly, dangerous germs or bacteria that promote inflammation or disease cannot form.According to scientific studies, tongue coating is a decisive trigger for caries and periodontitis. It is also one of the causes of unpleasant bad breath. Approximately 50 million different bacteria live in the oral cavity. They can also colonize the tongue and produce sulfur there, which leads to bad breath. Bad breath is sulfur odor. Dental plaque can also be prevented by regular tongue cleaning. In modern periodontology, there are new concepts that assign mechanical tongue cleaning to daily oral hygiene. Accordingly, problem patients in particular should not refrain from cleaning their tongue in this way several times a day. Smokers are particularly strongly advised to clean their tongues mechanically every day. This is because nicotine deposits on the tongue can be particularly hazardous to health. Whereby, from the point of view of health, it is of course advisable to give up smoking altogether. In addition to the use of toothbrush and dental floss, the daily use of a tongue scraper should become a matter of course, according to many dentists, because up to 80% of the bacteria of the oral cavity are located on the tongue surface.
