A tongue scraper can be used to clean your tongue either before or after you brush your teeth. Your tongue is sensitive, so it's essential to be gentle and not press the cleaner too forcefully.
You can use a tongue scraper before or after brushing your teeth, depending on your personal preference. It doesn't matter when you clean your tongue, as long as you do it at least twice per day. Millions of bacteria live in your mouth, some good and some bad.
Your tongue is full of cracks, grooves, and pores. So when you scrape your tongue after brushing, you allow the bacteria-fighting ingredients of our natural toothpaste to enter these spaces and begin cleaning.
To get the most out of your tongue scraping, tongue scraping should be done first thing in the morning to remove bacteria that has built up overnight as your body detoxifies and you should stick your tongue out all the way and scrape from the very back to the tip, never in reverse.
Tongue scraping won't damage your taste buds. In fact, it might actually help them to work even better than before (because germs won't be covering them.)
For best results, simply adding the tongue scraper at the end of your brushing routine twice a day keeps bacteria and build-up at bay. But even once a day in the morning will give you a nice clean feeling to start the day off with.
Tongue Scrapers:
Remember to rinse your mouth out after with water or mouthwash! A scraper is an easy and quick way to clean your tongue! After cleaning your tongue with either a scraper or toothbrush, check your tongue in a mirror. If it is pink and fresh looking, that means you cleaned it properly.
The best time to scrape your tongue is as part of your morning oral hygiene routine after you have done your oil pulling, which you should do firstly, as soon as you awake.
After cleaning your tongue, whether with a toothbrush or scraper, use a mouth rinse. Then, rinse the scraper or toothbrush with water.
Most people brush, floss and then use mouthwash. And some just brush, skipping the other two steps. As it turns out, it's actually more effective to floss, use mouthwash, then brush, according to dentists — and they don't recommend skipping any steps.
White tongue is the result of an overgrowth and swelling of the fingerlike projections (papillae) on the surface of your tongue. The appearance of a white coating is caused by debris, bacteria and dead cells getting lodged between the enlarged and sometimes inflamed papillae.
Most people can get rid of white tongue by practicing good oral hygiene and drinking plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration. Tips you can try at home include: Drinking at least eight glasses of water daily. Brushing your teeth using a soft toothbrush.
Most guides suggest brushing the teeth immediately afterward. Others say that it is better to wait a bit to promote the retention of good bacteria and the rebalancing of the oral microbiome. In any case, use a different toothbrush after oil pulling to the one used for daily teeth cleaning.
There can be many negative side effects of oil pulling if not done correctly. The benefits of oil pulling seem basic enough, but if the technique is not performed properly, oil pulling can cause loss of sensation and taste, chronic dry mouth, excessive thirst, muscular stiffness and even exhaustion.
The oil mixes with your saliva and is supposed to go from clear to a milky white color. After the oil turns white, you spit it out. Not down the sink, though; the oil could clog the drain. Many oil pullers suggest spitting it out in a cup and throwing it in the trash.
Conclusion: Metal tongue scrapers win
Ultimately, metal tongue scrapers are the better choice for your oral care, health and the planet. If you're on the market for one, consider choosing our stainless steel tongue cleaner. It got thick durable handles, a U-shape and comes to you completely plastic-free!
If tongue scraping causes pain or bleeding, the person should stop using the scraper. They might be using it with too much force, or there may be uneven edges on the scraper that could be injuring the tongue. It is important to avoid placing the scraper too far back on the tongue, as this can activate the gag reflex.
According to a systematic review on effective tongue coating management methods, tongue scrapers are more effective at reducing bad breath than toothbrushes [16].
While it may be surprising, a study has found that flossing first followed by brushing with a fluoride toothpaste is more effective in removing interdental plaque than brushing first, flossing second. In addition, flossing before brushing results in greater fluoride retention between teeth.
Although you may choose to do it in the morning or afternoon, many prefer to floss at night to prevent food and debris from remaining in the crevices of the teeth overnight. This could prevent the build-up of plaque too, which is a cause of tooth decay.