Tongue Scraping

Tongue scraping linked to lower blood pressure via nitric oxide

Suresh explains that research from cardiologists shows tongue scraping can help lower blood pressure by supporting beneficial bacteria that produce nitric oxide, unlike antiseptic mouthwash which kills both good and bad bacteria.

"Now I'm finding out that if you scrape your tongue correctly, it helps in lowering your blood pressure. Right. Okay. Just imagine just that one thing. It's incredible. I could not believe the research you sent me."

Dentist shocked by gum improvement after years of tongue scraping

Suresh shares that after not visiting his dentist for six years while using the Toki toothbrush with tongue scraper, his dentist found his gums had measurably improved, something the dentist had never seen in 30 years of practice.

"And he says, I've been doing this for 30 years. I've never seen this. And I still don't know what he's talking about, right? And he says, your gums have improved. No way. Because this has never happened."

Scraping preserves good bacteria unlike mouthwash

The discussion explains how tongue scraping selectively removes bad bacteria while preserving beneficial ones that produce nitric oxide, unlike antiseptic mouthwash which indiscriminately kills all oral bacteria.

"So according to a few of these doctors, okay, I'm talking about cardiologists and all, they say in the back of our tongue there's a bacteria, which is a good bacteria, okay? And if you're using mouthwash, okay, it kills it. Like antiseptic mouthwash. Yes, that kills it. Whereas tongue scraping, okay, it basically moves it up and it helps in lowering the blood pressure."

Tongue scraping is 30% more effective than brushing for bad breath

Studies from 2004 and 2005 found tongue scraping was significantly more effective than toothbrushing at removing odor-causing sulfur compounds and reducing harmful mouth bacteria.

"One was a study from 2004 that concluded tongue scraping was more effective than brushing teeth at removing odor-causing sulfur compounds. And then a 2005 study looked at using a tongue scraper twice a day for seven days and saw reduced overall incidence of"

Tongue scraping can improve your sense of taste

Research published in 2004 showed that tongue scraping twice daily for 14 days improved the ability to distinguish between bitter, sweet, salty, and sour tastes, and improved tongue appearance.

"So this was a different study also published in 2004. This research said tongue scraping two times a day for 14 days showed an improved sense of taste. And apparently, you might better be able to distinguish between bitter, sweet, salty, and sour tastes or flavors."

The carpet analogy for why scraping beats brushing

Jen uses a carpet stain analogy to explain why scraping is more effective than brushing the tongue, comparing brushing to grinding debris into fibers versus scraping it cleanly off the surface.

"If you think of your tongue like a carpet, right? If you have a stain on a carpet, something falls on the carpet, it spills, you spill something and it's sitting on the carpet and then you take a brush, right? You're like grinding it into the fibers of the rug versus you spill something on the carpet and you scrape it"

Tongue scraping supports nitric oxide production and blood pressure

Dr. B explains that bacteria on the back of the tongue produce nitric oxide, which helps regulate blood pressure and erectile function. He connects tongue scraping to improved cardiovascular health.

"Production of nitric oxide based on the oral microbiome, these bugs on the back of your tongue can help with that as well. Blood pressure alone should be a great motivator"

The tongue as a mushroom meadow and biofilm disruption

Dr. B describes the tongue surface as mushroom-shaped papillae creating spaces where thick anaerobic biofilm accumulates. Tongue scraping thins this biofilm and allows oxygen and saliva nutrients to reach beneficial bacteria.

"Think of your tongue as a meadow, a surface, a carpeted surface of big mushrooms with thin little stalks and big whatever those things are called. I should know my mushrooms. I love mushrooms. Flanges or the cap."

Tongue scraping ranked alongside flossing as most important oral hygiene

When asked what single oral hygiene practice matters most, Dr. B places tongue scraping alongside flossing as the two most important habits, ranking both above toothbrushing.

"you know, talked about, okay, if you have the ideal diet, which is not fair, given the question I was presented with, then all you would have to do is probably tongue scrape once a week. You wouldn't even have to floss, but it would be between flossing, just to give you an idea of how important it is, it would be between flossing and tongue scraping. Those are the two important things."

Oral microbiome testing shows halitosis score improvement after scraping

Dr. B describes how oral microbiome testing before and after a tongue scraping regimen shows measurable improvement in halitosis scores, indicating better nitric oxide production by tongue bacteria.

"we'll do another oral microbiome test. And I would say 99% of the time, we see a difference and a change. And we see that halitosis score drop, which means that your oral microbiome is able to produce this life-giving longevity gas, nitric oxide."

Tongue cleaning reduces bad breath compounds by up to 75%

Dr. Greger reports that tongue cleaning can reduce volatile sulfur compounds causing bad breath by up to 75%, compared to only 25% from brushing teeth alone, but notes the gag reflex as a common obstacle.

"Tongue cleaning can reduce the stinky, gaseous compounds that cause bad breath by up to 75%, whereas just brushing your teeth alone may only reduce by 25%."

Cancer risk from tongue scraping is not supported by human evidence

Dr. Greger critically evaluates animal studies that raised tongue cancer concerns, explaining they used extreme mechanical stimulation and carcinogens not comparable to gentle tongue scraping. He recommends gentle scraping on the top surface only.

"most human tongue cancers are found on the side of the tongue, and so the relationship between tongue scraping and cancer has not yet been confirmed in humans, though there's still a possibility that mechanical stimulation may be a cause, so I'd recommend Any kind of electrical device for tongue cleaning is not recommended"