There is no end to oral hygiene practices, and one of the most recent ones is a tongue scraper. Since you are here, you most probably already know what a tongue scraper is, but you may wonder what is a tongue scraper good for. Does using a tongue scraper for bad breath work? Is it good for a black tongue?

If these are the questions you want the answer to, stick around and we will provide you with answers.

What is a tongue scraper beneficial for?

So you know that tongue scraping is beneficial not just to your oral health but also to your overall well-being. This is because the entire surface of your tongue is covered with different types of bacteria.

If there are any changes in your body or even your oral hygiene routine, there will be some indications of it on your tongue. Some of these indications could be harmless and not cause much trouble but some could be problematic if not treated. We are going to go through some of the most common tongue-related oral health issues and whether a tongue scraper is beneficial for it or not.

Tongue issue	Is a tongue scraper good for it?
Oral thrush	✖
Bad breath	✔
Black tongue	✔
Dysgeusia /dɪsˈɡjuː.zi.ə/	✔
Geographic tongue	✔
Fissured tongue	✔

Oral thrush

Shocking to know that there are bacteria and fungi living in your mouth. Mostly they are harmless, even useful at times. Candida is a fungus that normally lives in your mouth, but if it overgrows that is when it gets problematic.

This could happen to anyone but it is most likely in people with a weaker immune system. Oral thrush shows up with white and creamy lesions on your tongue and cheeks. Other symptoms are redness and a burning sensation while eating or drinking. There could be slight bleeding from those white patches as well.

Now that we are familiar with this oral problem, let’s answer this question.

Is tongue scraper good for oral thrush?

No, tongue scraper for thrush is not good at all. Let us tell you why.

When you still have white lesions in your mouth and especially on your tongue there is more risk for you to hurt your tongue while scraping. Tongue scraping can also cause bleeding when you still have oral thrush. So, better skip it until your oral health is fully restored.

Bad breath

Bad breath halitosis whatever you want to call it is not the best of things. Many things can cause your fresh breath to turn foul. Some of the causes are:

• Eating smelly foods
• Dry mouth
• Using tobacco products
• Poor dental hygiene
• Dental disease and infection
• Underlying medical conditions

Whichever the reason there are ways to combat this issue. Here, we will mostly focus on the temporary aspect of bad breath. But if you have constant halitosis, it is best to see your dentist about it.

Is tongue scraper good for bad breath?

Nobody likes bad breath, but does a tongue scraper help bad breath go away? Well, the answer is yes! A breath remedy can sometimes be a tongue scraper!

Almost 90% of the bacteria that live on your tongue can cause bad breath. By tongue scraping, you can get rid of remnants of food and bacteria responsible for foul breath.

Black tongue

It is exactly what you are reading! Sometimes it is even referred to as black hairy tongue. Sounds scary, but it is actually a harmless condition that could happen to anyone. In this condition, the dead skin that your tongue sheds just like the rest of your body stays on the papilla on your tongue, giving it a hairy-looking situation. Some of the causes are:

• Excessive alcohol use 
• Using tobacco products
• Drinking too much tea or coffee
• Changes in the normal yeast or bacteria in tongue coatings

If this condition persists better go to your dentist.

Is tongue scraper good for black tongue?

Now that you know what black tongue is we think you can answer this question but here it is absolutely yes! Since your tongue is unable to get rid of the excess dead skin on your tongue surface, the best option is to use a basic U-shape tongue scraper to help with this process. Use gentle pressure to clean your tongue surface.

Dysgeusia

Dysgeusia /dɪsˈɡjuː.zi.ə/ is a type of disorder that affects your sense of taste. What happens in this condition is when you eat any kind of food it tastes either sweet, sour, bitter, or metallic. With dysgeusia, you might experience a bad taste in your mouth without even eating anything. All in all, not the most pleasant experience.

Is tongue scraper good for taste buds?

Yes, generally speaking, but also no. Let us explain. A cleaner tongue means more taste buds come in contact with food and therefore you can better feel the rich taste of the food you are eating. By doing regular tongue scraping you will achieve better taste sensations. No goes to how you are using your regular tongue scraper. If you are using too much pressure while cleaning your tongue you could damage the soft tissue of your tongue. So make sure to use light pressure when you are tongue cleaning.

Geographic tongue

 This is another harmless situation of the tongue papilla. People with a geographic tongue have red and smooth patches on their tongues that look like islands therefore the name “geographic”. These parts of the tongue look smooth because of the lack of papilla there. After a while, these red patches heal and migrate to another part of the tongue. A person with a geographic tongue might have a more sensitive tongue when it comes to spices and salt.

Is tongue scraper good for geographic tongue?

Yes, there are potential benefits of tongue cleaning if you have a geographic tongue. Scientists still are studying the benefits of tongue scraping when it comes to geographic tongue. But even with that, there have been promising results. 

Fissured tongue

If you have ever looked at your tongue in the mirror you have seen that your entire tongue is covered with papilla. In some people, there might be deeper grooves on their tongues, especially in the middle. This is called a fissured tongue which is a relatively harmless condition. Other than the look of the tongue there are no other specific symptoms of a fissured tongue.

Is tongue scraper good for fissured tongue?

Yes, it is in fact very helpful. Maintaining a clean oral cavity is key. Because of the deeper grooves on your tongue, it is more likely to have more bacteria and food debris in them. Tongue cleaning in this condition helps with bad breath and a healthy tongue.

Resources:

Choi, Ha-Na et al. “The Effect of Mechanical Tongue Cleaning on Oral Malodor and Tongue Coating.” International journal of environmental research and public health vol. 19,1 108. 23 Dec. 2021, doi:10.3390/ijerph19010108 

Outhouse, Trent L et al. “A Cochrane systematic review finds tongue scrapers have short-term efficacy in controlling halitosis.” General dentistry vol. 54,5 (2006): 352-9; 360, 367-8; quiz 360.