Tongue scrapingis the Ayurvedic oral care practice that helps to remove bacteria, food debris, toxins and dead cells from the tongue’s surface. When our flora is balanced, these bacteria that live on the tongue help protect against oral health issues. Clinical studies have confirmed that using a tongue scraper on a daily basis reduces the bacteria that cause bad breath.
I scrape my tongue every day upon rising religiously. Why?
• When you sleep your body works hard to detox your entire system. Your digestive system pushes toxins to the top of your tongue, kindly asking you to take out the trash, meaning scrape the gunk off. You don’t want to re-ingest it! Scraping first thing in the morning clears the toxins improving your over all health and immune system.
• Things taste way better with a clean tongue.
• It really does keep breath smelling fresh!
Banyan Botanicals stainless tongue scraper (left) and Dr. Tungs scraper (right). Photo by Shar Veda.
I forgot my Banyan Botanicals ($8) tongue scraper last week on my trip to southern California to visit my cousin. After the second day, I could not stand the way my mouth tasted without scraping in the morning. Yuck! So I bought a Dr. Tungs ($7) scraper at Whole Foods.
The Dr. Tungs scraper, featured here with pink handles, cut my tongue on the first go—ouch! It’s much sharper and fatter than Banyan’s streamlined stainless steel scraper. Although Banyan Botanicals’ scraper is a little more expensive, it is well worth the extra money spent.
Shar Veda is an Ayurveda Lifestyle Counselor & Health Educator, Yoga Therapist, and herbalist living in Ashland, Oregon. She works with at risk teen-aged girls and offers compassionate health and lifestyle counseling anywhere in the world via Skype and or the good old-fashioned telephone. Shar has had the great gift of studying with leading teachers in Ayurveda, Yoga, and herbalism for nearly 20 years. However, it was her adopted grandma, Doe (English-American and Blackfoot Native), who instilled within her profound appreciation for the supreme power of loving touch, healing arts, and world family. Visit her website for a video, full bio, and photos or find her on Facebook!
