Tongue Scraping & COVID 19
COVID-19 has changed our world.
I think many people have become used to wearing a mask (like it or not). Many people have also become accustomed to having hand sanitizer on the ready as well.
There are many ways to combat COVID-19, but we are guessing you didn't know tongue scraping was one of them? Did you?
The spread of COVID-19 is typically transmitted through direct or indirect contact with your eyes, nose, or mouth. This prompted researchers to explore possible links between oral hygiene and disease transmission.
Knowing that your mouth is a breading ground for germs, it makes sense to study the area.
A study that was published on October 2020, "Oral hygiene habits and possible transmission of COVID-19 among cohabitants"examined the misuse of dental hygiene and how that could facilitate the transmission of COVID-19 among infected people and those cohabitating with them.
The study found that "The SARS-CoV-2 virus infects human cells using the ACE2 receptors, which are widely distributed in the upper respiratory tract (hence the lung lesions it causes in affected people) and the epithelial cells lining the ducts of the salivary glands, these being early targets of infection. They can also be in the mouth, mainly on the tongue, which is a great reservoir of viral germs. Therefore, tooth brushing, interproximal hygiene and tongue cleaning are essential in order to reduce the viral load in the oral area."
While the link between tongue cleaning and COVID-19 remains an area to be explored, knowing your mouth has a larger viral load or more germs on it if you are not tongue scraping should encourage you to grab a tongue scraper (and stop sharing a toothbrush).
With or without COVID-19, tongue cleaning is crucial in maintaining overall oral health.
References
González-Olmo MJ, Delgado-Ramos B, Ruiz-Guillén A, et al. Oral hygiene habits and possible transmission of COVID-19 among cohabitants. BMC Oral Health. October 19, 2020. Accessed Feb 20, 2022. https://bmcoralhealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12903-020-01274-5
