Best Tongue Scrapers and Cleaners 2018: Reviews of the Top Products
This article was originally published on www.mouthpower.org
WHAT IS TONGUE SCRAPING?
Although tongue cleaning is not yet part of the daily routine for most people in western society, it has been recognized as an import cleaning ritual in Ayurvedic medicine for thousands of years. Jihwa Prakshalana is the ancient practice of scraping the tongue clean of food debris, dead cells, bacteria, and toxins. Ayurvedic medicine uses the appearance and health of the tongue to diagnose ailments and health disorders because the tongue was viewed as a mirror to the internal organs of the body. In Ayurvedic medicine, the health of the tongue is an indication of the health state of the whole body. Western research into the effectiveness of Ayurvedic medicine is very limited, but recent studies are showing that scraping the tongue clean every day will considerably reduce the bacterial load in the mouth resulting in fresher breath and potentially better health.
WHAT IS A TONGUE SCRAPER?
Tongue scrapers are specially designed oral health tools for cleaning the top surface of the tongue. They are usually manufactured from plastic, copper or stainless steel and are available in lots of different shapes and styles. The most commonly used tongue scrapers are the two-handled U-shape cleaners and the single handled T-shaped cleaners. Alternatively, there are also cleaning brushes available that are designed specifically for cleaning the tongue surface.
WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO CLEAN YOUR TONGUE?
We all know that daily teeth brushing and flossing sessions are vital for maintaining good oral health. However, many people are unaware that the majority of bacteria in the mouth is actually harbored on the tongue. The tongue accounts for 1/3 of the mouth surface area and there are about four times more bacteria on each tongue cell compared to any other cell in the mouth. The tongue is a complex organ that performs amazing tasks for us but it also happens to be a superb depository for collecting food debris and bacteria. The visible white coating on the tongue is the resulting layer of evil-smelling sulfur compounds excreted by populations of bacteria. Even a rigorous routine of teeth brushing, flossing, and water flossing will do little to reduce this carpet of bacteria on the tongue. So, if you really want to give your mouth a completely clean, it might be time to get yourself an effective tongue scraper or cleaner.
ORAL HEALTH
Cleaning your tongue of bacteria, dead skin cells and food debris is an excellent way of improving your oral and general health. By decreasing the