Everything To Know About Tongue Scraping For Your Health

Tongue scraping – the very name may sound intimidating, but rest assured, it's far from that!

In fact, tongue scraping is a simple, affordable, and effective hygenic practice that can significantly impact your overall health and wellbeing. While many love it just because it helps you have good, fresh breath -- it does so much more! 

I was introduced to tongue scraping years ago during my studies at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, and today, I can't imagine my daily routine without it! It has become an everyday non-negotiable for me and my family, and it's a wellness secret that deserves to be shared far and wide.

So, what is tongue scraping, and why should you consider incorporating it into your daily life?

In this article, we'll explore the ancient Ayurvedic practice of tongue scraping, its numerous health benefits, and the simple steps to make it a part of your daily routine.

The Science Behind Tongue Scraping

Tongue scraping, also known as Jihwa Prakshalana, is an age-old Ayurvedic practice that involves the gentle removal of bacteria, toxins, food debris, and dead cells from the surface of your tongue.

What is an Ayurvedic practice? Ayurveda is an ancient, holistic approach to wellness that views food as a powerful tool for maintaining health, preventing illness, and achieving inner balance. Ayurvedic practices promote overall well-being and balance and encompass a wide range of techniques all tailored to an individual's unique buildup and composition. 

While you sleep, your digestive system diligently works to remove toxins from your body, depositing them onto the surface of your tongue.

By scraping your tongue each morning, you collect and eliminate these toxins before they have a chance to be reabsorbed into your system.

Benefits of Tongue Scraping

Tongue scraping offers so many of benefits, Here's why you should consider making it a part of your daily routine: 

• Preventing halitosis (aka bad breath): Tongue scraping effectively removes the root cause of bad breath by eliminating the bacteria responsible for foul odors.
• Enhancing taste: Yup - your taste buds will thank you! Especially early in the morning. Why not enjoy that first sip of coffee even more? A cleaner tongue allows your taste buds to function optimally, enabling you to savor and enjoy the flavors of your food, drinks, etc. more fully.
• Boosting immunity: By removing harmful bacteria and toxins, tongue scraping supports your body's natural defense mechanisms, helping to strengthen your immune system every single day.
• Improving digestive health: Keeping your tongue clean is part of an overall approach to maintaining a healthy digestive system, as it helps prevent the reabsorption of toxins.

How to Start Tongue Scraping

Now that you're convinced of the benefits, here's how to get started with tongue scraping. 

First and foremost, make sure you choose a high-quality tongue scraper! Opt for one that is preferably made of stainless steel. The plastic versions won't provide the same effectiveness - and we really don't need to be scraping our tongues with plastic that may seep microplastics into our mouths! 

They're super inexpensive and can be found on Amazon, at Target, or most stores near you! 

Steps:

1. Incorporate tongue scraping into your morning routine, just before brushing your teeth. It's an excellent practice to kickstart your day. Also, it tends to wake me up a bit, which I love. Some people swear by doing it right when they get up, before their first sip of water to rid the bacteria on their tongue beforehand! 
2. Position yourself in front of a mirror to ensure you can see what you're doing.
3. Stick out your tongue and place the scraper as far back as you comfortably can. With gentle yet firm pressure, scrape the surface of your tongue in long strokes towards the front.
4. Then, repeat as necessary. Rinse the scraper and repeat the scraping process until your tongue feels clean, and the white or colored coating is mostly gone. This usually takes anywhere from 3 to 10 strokes.

Make sure after each use you wash your tongue scraper with a human-safe cleaner. Rinse it in any Branch Basics solution -- our human-safe formula is perfect for this purpose! 

To Wrap It Up

Tongue scraping is a super simple, quick yet incredibly effective practice rooted in ancient healing and wisdom.

By incorporating it into your daily routine, you can enjoy fresher breath and much more -- from enhancing your taste buds to boosting your immunity and supporting your digestive health. It's a win-win. And it only takes 1 minute! 

Your body will thank you for it.

To further your journey towards a healthier life, check out How to Avoid Endocrine Disruptors in Your Daily Life and Our Favorite Non-Toxic Personal Care Products.