History Behind Tongue Cleaning
In case you are new to Gunkii: A tongue scraper
is an oral hygiene tool designed to clean the coating on the top of your tongue.
Why Should I Tongue Scrape?
The large surface area and the lingual papilla are anatomical features of the tongue that promote tongue coating by retaining microorganisms. And what we mean by this is that the top of your tongue has a large surface. On that surface, gross things are accumulating: food particles, saliva, dead cells and anything else you crammed into your mouth!
Tongue cleaning can be done twice a day as part as your oral routine.
How Did Tongue Scraping Start?
Tongue scraping is suggested to have started with the Ayurvedic practice of traditional Indian medicine. It recommends tongue cleaning as part of one's daily hygiene regimen. The practice is used to remove Ama - the undigested food that gets absorbed into the system without proper assimilation.
Tongue cleaning has existed in Ayurvedic practice since ancient times. People have been using tongue scrapers made from copper, silver, gold, tin or brass for centuries. In modern time, Aluminum and plastic scrapers are also used. However, we all know we don't need anymore plastic floating around so we suggest staying away from plastic tongue scrapers.
Tongue scraping and oral hygiene have been practiced for centuries in Africa, Arabia, Europe, South America and many eastern and oriental cultures.
Why Am I Just Hearing About Tongue Scraping?
Western civilizations placed less emphasis on tongue cleaning. Between the 15th and 19th century, tongue scraping and tongue cleaning were primarily practiced by those who were affluent.
Now, tongue scraping is a common practice in many households.
Health Benefits:
There are several reasons to tongue scrape. The tongue surface can be a reservoir for tooth pathogens and periodontal pathogens. Your tongue is basically a germ factory in your mouth!
A build up of debris on your tongue can contribute to the recolonization of tooth surfaces. People with periodontal disease are more likely to have a thicker tongue coating and a microbial flora that produces more volatile sulphur compounds compared to those who have healthy periodontal tissues.
Tongue cleaning helps with:
- reducing halitosis,
- dental caries and
- periodontal disease.
