Your oral hygiene is really important and using a tongue scraper can help you take your health routine to another level.
What’s a Tongue Scraper?
The first time I heard about a tongue scraper, I was reading an ebook on the different steps you can take for better healthy habits. I had never heard that term before in my life.
And this was described as the step that I didn’t know could improve my oral hygiene by a lot.
And like a lot of things in life, suddenly that’s all I could hear about, all the health gurus I follow were talking about it. It’s like I had been living under a rock.
A tongue scraper is a U-shaped metal tool that you use first thing in the morning on your tongue. It’s used to scrape off the layer of bacteria that formed during the night.
You might notice that in the morning you have a white layer of matter that is on your tongue. This is formed because of the fermentation process that happens when your mouth is closed for a long time. You don’t swallow much either during the night so that contributes to the build-up of this layer of what looks like white thick saliva.
It does sound a bit gross but it’s important to know about this.
Why Do We Need to Use This?
You should always use the tongue scraper before you drink anything for the following reasons:
- The layer of bacteria that has fermented overnight is a mix of bacteria.
First, good bacteria because you have cleaned your teeth and mouth while teeth-brushing, hopefully flossing, and maybe oil-pulling.
But second, there is also a part of bad bacteria that develops if you haven’t taken all the steps just listed above.
By scraping your tongue before you drink your morning glass of water, you ensure that the bad bacteria are not going straight to your system.
- Avoid food cravings
Even when you brush your teeth, some food particles will remain on your tongue, for up to several days. If you’re not using a tongue scraper, you might be more prone to food cravings. That’s because your tongue can still taste the foods and make you want them.
If it is foods that are sweet or extra savoury, your brain will want them more because it responds to the pleasure-seeking hormone.
Part of Your New Routine
When you scrape your tongue, you start with a clean slate every morning. No trace of foods, no bad bacteria. You literally let your first glass of water wake up your digestive tract in a healthy way.
It only cost me £5 for two on Amazon, you can find it at your local health store or online. I leave mine in my bathroom but you can leave it in a place that is easy for you to remember to use it. It only takes 20 seconds, so find a way to include this in your morning health routine too !
Let me know your experience on using a tongue scraper too!
For other blog posts about my health routine, check out My Daily Health Routine, The Secrets to Building Healthy Habits and My Easy Skincare Routine.
