60 | www.Ups tatePhys i c i ansSC . com | www.Hea l thL i nksUps tate. com If you’ve spent a significant amount of time on TikTok and you are a reader of publications such as HealthLinks, it’s likely that you’ve come face-to-screen with the online health and wellness community. Self-proclaimed experts on the app show viewers the way to do everything from washing fresh produce – and showing us there might be bugs you can’t see – to building a six-step hair oiling routine. One trend among trends has been at the tip of our tongues for quite some time: tongue scraping. Although mostly unknown in Western civilization until recently, “it has been practiced for thousands of years,” said Dr. Nicole Dahlkemper, DMD, LVIF, of Water's Edge Family Dentistry. Scraping or brushing of the tongue has been practiced for centuries in Europe, Africa, India and South America. Over the years, the scraping tool has been made of wood, mother-of-pearl, whalebone and beyond. “Current tongue scrapers are metal or plastic devices that are used to clean your tongue, which can harbor up to 200 different kinds of bacteria that can sit on the tongue and cause bad breath,” said Dr. Dahlkemper. The mouth is a bustling place for bacterial growth, where dead cells accumulate on the cheeks and especially on the tongue, mixing with blood debris and nutrients, often causing an unpleasant odor. Evidence has demonstrated that after a week without cleaning the tongue, plaque-forming streptococcal counts can increase tenfold. It has been reported that regular tongue brushing reduces the formation of dental plaque, suggesting that brushing your teeth but not your tongue contributes to unwanted dental issues. All to say, “cleaning your tongue is important,” said Dr. Dahlkemper. “Every time you brush your teeth.” Just as important is to do it right. Excessive or aggressive tongue cleaning may affect the quantity and proficiency of your taste buds. “You only want to use light pressure because if you use too much pressure you can hurt yourself. Lightly scrape the tongue from back to front three to four times after you brush and floss,” instructed Dr. Dahlkemper. Proper brushing methods – using a light touch and focusing on the central region of the tongue, are suggested by a research paper that investigated how tongue brushing and the perception of taste are related. HEALTH TRENDS TONGUE SCRAPING AND GUA SHA By Molly Sherman
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