Better Oral Hygiene AND Fewer Food Cravings?!

You’re probably wondering what keeping your mouth clean and curbing your food cravings have to do with each other. I also had no idea until I was introduced to a tongue scraper for the first time. “A tongue what?” I asked my friend, who rushed to her bathroom to bring over what appeared to be a slightly rounded object made of metal. She excitedly explained to me that the scraper is designed to remove debris from your tongue. I remember looking at the oddly shaped contraption with deep aversion that I couldn’t really hide, thinking to myself “there’s no way that I’m ever putting that thing in my mouth.”

My friend reassured me that the whole thing wasn’t nearly as disgusting as it sounded and that it wouldn’t take me more than a minute or two to complete. All I had to do is stick my tongue out, place the scraper at the back of my tongue, and gently start pulling it forward toward the tip of the tongue. She warned me to not go too far back, to avoid gagging, and not to apply too much pressure on the tongue, to avoid scratching it. She said to repeat the forward motion until the entire surface of the tongue is cleaned.

It sounded simple enough, but it still took me several weeks before I finally decided to give it a try. After a brief online search, during which I found flimsy-looking plastic scrapers alongside overpriced copper ones, I landed on a metal tongue scraper. I started using it every morning and evening right before brushing my teeth. I had no expectation that adding this new ritual to my oral hygiene routine would make much of a difference.

Boy was I wrong!

After only a few days of use, my mouth started feeling much cleaner and my morning breath turned, how should I put it, much fresher? Over time, I also noticed a change in my ability to taste foods. I was able to discern flavors a lot perceptively. This new connection with food gave me great pleasure. I realized that because I was enjoying my food so thoroughly, I craved snacks far less and didn’t feel a need to use extra sugar or salt to “upgrade” my eating experience. This was a much welcomed bonus that I did not anticipate.

There aren’t many scientific studies which have systematically examined the benefits of tongue scraping, but the little that has been published suggests that I’m not alone in my experience. In addition improving breath and enhancing sense of taste, tongue scraping has also been argued to help reduce bacteria in the mouth that are known to lead to the buildup of a white coat on the tongue, as well as to tooth decay (for details see https://www.healthline.com/health/dental-and-oral-health/tongue-scraping). Some also claim that it contributes to overall health, but I have not seen evidence to that effect. Anecdotally, though, I've heard from a family member who suffers from irritable bowel syndrome, that this practice has improved her gastrointestinal symptoms.

Have you ever used a tongue scraper? If so, what was your experience? Do you have other oral hygiene tricks up your sleeve that you can share?

If you’ve never tried tongue scraping before, I invite you to try it now. You may just find yourself boosting your oral hygiene AND curbing your food cravings in one go – a win-win situation, no doubt!