The Benefits of Tongue Scraping
Another wellness trend makes it’s way from age old practices stemming from the East, and this is one you should definitely hop on board with
When I first heard the words “tongue scraping” the most terrifying image entered my mind. The idea of “scraping” sounded repulsive.
And I’m not going to lie to you, those first few scrapes, the stuff that comes off your tongue, kind of traumatizing. Once you’ve seen it, you can never go back to who you were before, a “tongue-scrape-less-ness human.”
Because if you don’t scrape that gunk off, that little voice in the back of your head will just remind you that it’s sitting there, on the base of your tongue, chilling, and contributing to poor dental hygiene.
Now you might be thinking, well my dentist always told me to brush and floss and my mouth will be clean and taken care of, so what’s with all this tongue scraping talk and what’s the science?
Your Health and Your Tongue
Rooted in Ayurvedic tradition (the study of the human body based in India that includes a holistic way of healing the body), the tongue is an important muscle in the body that shares a direct connection to several of the body's vital organs, including the heart, kidneys, liver, lungs, spleen, and stomach.
Ayurveda teaches that the tongue reflects the health and well-being of these organs, so regularly inspecting the tongue is an excellent way to gauge your overall health.
Remember all those times your physician asked you to open and say aaaaahhhhhhh? Even the West adopted the idea of inspecting the tongue for abnormalities when diagnosing health status.
Tongue scraping is like your own personal indicator of detecting abnormalities before going to the doctor or administering home remedies. It also has many other benefits that we’ll get into later but, because the tongue reflects the health of so many vital organs, systemic imbalances (and improvements) on the surface, using a tongue scraper daily allows you to take note of any significant changes that may indicate variations in your own internal state of balance.
For example, when I am sick or about to come down with some sort of cold, I notice my tongue scraper is scraping a thicker, whitish, brownish color (TMI) and I supplement accordingly to fight the oncoming or ongoing infection.
Some days however, I scrape just saliva, and I take note of how well my biological systems are functioning and how I feel that particular day, it becomes a tool of merging Self and body.
Why is Tongue Scraping Essential for Optimal Health?
Our bodies are constantly exposed to toxins from our food, beverages, and the environment; even our own metabolic wastes and unresolved emotions can lead to toxicity.
When toxins are not properly digested and eliminated due to various factors, they accumulate in the body and begin to compromise our well-being and immunity.
One place these toxins can accumulate are on the the surface of our tongues.
When we sleep, our bodies enter rest and digest mode. They are repairing and regenerating at a rapid pace while we are unconscious and cannot disrupt their vital processes. Thus, you typically will need to eliminate in the morning through one of elimination pathways.
However the mouth is considered an elimination pathway as well. Technically, we should all have three “pathways out.”
So, toxins can accumulate near the mouth, as the body is designed. Therefore, full cleaning of the mouth is vital for optimal health, which includes adequate cleaning of the tongue.
The very back of the tongue provides a particularly hospitable environment for many anaerobic bacteria because it is relatively undisturbed by normal activity in the mouth, it is drier than other parts of the mouth, it tends to be 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.
The Benefits of Tongue Scraping:
Improved Digestion: tongue scraping has actually been studied to improve our digestive processes, therefore, aiding in nourishing our body appropriately with the nutrients and eliminating toxins effectively.
Balances Oral Bacteria: Just like how our gut microbiome needs to be balanced with good and bad bacteria, so does the microbiome of our mouth. Using a tongue scraper to scrape the tongue gently dislodges bacteria, as well as their food source, and is, therefore, one of the most effective means of combating tongue bacteria.
Reduces Bad Breath: 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.
Enhancing the Sense of Taste: Some studies have concluded that tongue scraping daily is directly linked to more pleasure when consuming foods because of taste enhancement, especially when it comes to plant foods.
Increases Mind-Body Connection: As detailed before, a lot about what is happening inside the body appears on the surface of the tongue. Paying attention to how you feel on a day that what is coming off your tongue scraper is especially strange is a good way to increase awareness of your body and feelings.
How to Scrape your Tongue:
The best time to tongue scrape is upon rising, on an empty stomach, every day. If for some reason you forget, incorporating it into your routine whenever you brush your teeth is fine.
Hold the two ends of the tongue cleaner in both hands.
Extend the tongue and place the tongue cleaner on the surface of the tongue, as far back as is comfortable, but try and reach as far back as you can.
Gently pull the tongue cleaner forward so that it removes the unwanted coating on the surface.
Rinse the tongue cleaner after each time you pull it over the tongue, and repeat as necessary, usually 3–5 times.
Voila, a perfectly tongue scraped mouth.
The final tip is to buy a METAL or COPPER tongue scraper. Plastic is not ideal for you or the planet.
Links to the tongue scraper I use:
