Tongue Cleaning Around the World

Have you noticed the recent uptick in the popularity of tongue cleaners? Well, think it or not, tongue cleaning is a long way from a new trend. To help feed your craving for knowledge of all things oral health, here are some factoids on the history of tongue cleaning.
In traditional Indian medicine, also called Ayurveda, tongue cleaning is suggested as just one part of the suggested hygiene routine. Tongue cleaning displaces foreign debris, also known as Ama. This practice has existed since long ago, and tongue scrapers in Ayurvedic practice are formed from compounds such as gold, silver, brass, copper, and tin. Today, people in India use plastic scrapers to rinse off their tongues.
And India isn’t the only place to have practiced tongue cleaning for centuries: people from countries in Africa, South America, Europe and multiple other cultures have practiced tongue cleaning for many generations. Each of these peoples has custom traditions when it comes to tongue cleaning, and the diverse materials used in their cleaners include such things as ivory, tortoiseshell, and whalebone.
In the United States, we generally place less emphasis on the importance of tongue cleaning, but the benefits of a brighter tongue, a cleaner oral cavity and fresher breath can make the practice worth it. If you’d like to learn more about tongue cleaning, give our Orem, Utah, office a call now at 801-225-5594 to schedule your next appointment. Dr. Chad Ellis and the The Smile Studio team would love to assist you in learning more.