A tongue cleaner (also called a tongue scraper or tongue brush) is an

oral hygiene Oral hygiene is the practice of keeping one's oral cavity clean and free of disease and other problems (e.g. bad breath) by regular brushing of the teeth (dental hygiene) and adopting good hygiene habits. It is important that oral hygiene be carr ...

device designed to clean the

coating A coating is a covering that is applied to the surface of an object, or substrate. The purpose of applying the coating may be decorative, functional, or both. Coatings may be applied as liquids, gases or solids e.g. powder coatings. Paints ...

on the upper surface of the

tongue The tongue is a Muscle, muscular organ (anatomy), organ in the mouth of a typical tetrapod. It manipulates food for chewing and swallowing as part of the digestive system, digestive process, and is the primary organ of taste. The tongue's upper s ...

. While there is tentative benefit from the use of a tongue cleaner it is insufficient to draw clear conclusions regarding

bad breath Bad breath, also known as halitosis, is a symptom in which a noticeably unpleasant breath odour is present. It can result in anxiety among those affected. It is also associated with depression and symptoms of obsessive compulsive disorder. Th ...

. The large surface area and

lingual papilla Lingual papillae (: papilla, ) are small structures on the upper surface of the tongue that give it its characteristic rough texture. The four types of papillae on the human tongue have different structures and are accordingly classified as circum ...

are anatomical features of the tongue that promote tongue coating by retaining

microorganism A microorganism, or microbe, is an organism of microscopic scale, microscopic size, which may exist in its unicellular organism, single-celled form or as a Colony (biology)#Microbial colonies, colony of cells. The possible existence of unseen ...

s and oral debris consisting of food, saliva and dead

epithelial cells Epithelium or epithelial tissue is a thin, continuous, protective layer of cells with little extracellular matrix. An example is the epidermis, the outermost layer of the skin. Epithelial ( mesothelial) tissues line the outer surfaces of man ...

. Tongue cleaning is done less often than

tooth brushing Tooth brushing is the act of scrubbing teeth with a toothbrush equipped with toothpaste. Interdental cleaning (with floss or an interdental brush) can be useful with tooth brushing, and together these two activities are the primary means of c ...

flossing Dental floss is a cord of thin filaments, typically made of nylon or silk, used in interdental cleaning to remove food and dental plaque from between teeth or places a toothbrush has difficulty reaching or is unable to reach. Its regular use as ...

, and using

mouthwash Mouthwash, mouth rinse, oral rinse, or mouth bath is a liquid which is held in the mouth passively or swirled around the mouth by contraction of the perioral muscles and/or movement of the head, and may be gargled, where the head is tilted back ...

Health effects

Breath

While there is tentative benefit from the use of a tongue cleaner it is insufficient to draw clear conclusions with respect to

. Some studies have shown that it is the bacteria on the tongue which often produce malodorous compounds and fatty acids that may account for 80–85% of all cases of bad breath. The remaining 15–20% of cases originate in the

stomach The stomach is a muscular, hollow organ in the upper gastrointestinal tract of Human, humans and many other animals, including several invertebrates. The Ancient Greek name for the stomach is ''gaster'' which is used as ''gastric'' in medical t ...

, from the

tonsils The tonsils ( ) are a set of lymphoid organs facing into the aerodigestive tract, which is known as Waldeyer's tonsillar ring and consists of the adenoid tonsil (or pharyngeal tonsil), two tubal tonsils, two palatine tonsils, and the lingual ...

, from decaying food stuck between the teeth, gum disease,

dental caries Tooth decay, also known as caries,The word 'caries' is a mass noun, and is not a plural of 'carie'.'' is the breakdown of teeth due to acids produced by bacteria. The resulting cavities may be a number of different colors, from yellow to black ...

(cavities or tooth decay) or plaque accumulated on the teeth. In addition, degradation of oral debris by microorganisms produce

organosulfur compounds Organosulfur chemistry is the study of the properties and synthesis of organosulfur compounds, which are organic compounds that contain sulfur. They are often associated with foul odors, but many of the sweetest compounds known are organosulfur der ...

(volatile sulphur compounds) on the posterior (rear) of the tongue.

Aesthetics

The tongue is normally pink in appearance. It may acquire a white or colored coating due to diet, reduced salivary flow, reduced oral hygiene or tongue anatomy. The thickness of the tongue coating can also vary. Tongue cleaning can reduce this coating to make it cleaner and to help return it to its natural pink color.

Dental caries and periodontal disease

The tongue surface can be a reservoir for tooth pathogens and periodontal pathogens. It can contribute to the recolonization of tooth surfaces. People with

periodontal disease Periodontal disease, also known as gum disease, is a set of inflammatory conditions affecting the tissues surrounding the teeth. In its early stage, called gingivitis, the gums become swollen and red and may bleed. It is considered the main c ...

are more likely to have a thicker tongue coating and a microbial flora that produces more volatile sulphur compounds compared to those who have healthy periodontal tissues. Tongue cleaning might help to reduce halitosis, dental caries and periodontal disease.

Side effects

Tongue cleaning can cause discomfort. Improper use of a tongue cleaner may induce the

gag reflex The pharyngeal reflex or gag reflex is a reflex muscular contraction of the back of the throat, evoked by touching the roof of the mouth, back of the tongue, area around the tonsils, uvula, and back of the throat. It, along with other aerodigest ...

and/or vomiting. Aggressive use of a tongue cleaner may also cause irritation or ulcers. Some people have inappropriately used the tongue cleaner to scrape or brush the lingual tonsils (tongue tonsils). There has been one reported case where a woman possibly had

infective endocarditis Infective endocarditis is an infection of the inner surface of the heart (endocardium), usually the heart valve, valves. Signs and symptoms may include fever, petechia, small areas of bleeding into the skin, heart murmur, feeling tired, and anem ...

from

bacteremia Bloodstream infections (BSIs) are infections of blood caused by blood-borne pathogens. The detection of microbes in the blood (most commonly accomplished by blood cultures) is always abnormal. A bloodstream infection is different from sepsis, wh ...

following the use of a tongue cleaner. Individuals with previous infective endocarditis and high-risk cardiac valves may be at a higher risk from bacteremia.

History

Ayurveda Ayurveda (; ) is an alternative medicine system with historical roots in the Indian subcontinent. It is heavily practised throughout India and Nepal, where as much as 80% of the population report using ayurveda. The theory and practice of ayur ...

, the practice of traditional Indian medicine, recommends tongue cleaning as part of one's daily hygiene regimen, to remove the toxic debris, known as Ama. Tongue cleaning has existed in Ayurvedic practice since ancient times, using tongue scrapers made from copper, silver, gold, tin or brass. In modern time, plastic scrapers are used in India and the Far East. Tongue hygiene has been practiced for centuries in Africa, Arabia, Europe, South America and many eastern and oriental cultures. The various materials used for tongue cleaners include thin flexible wood sections, metals, ivory, mother-of-pearl, whalebone, celluloid, tortoiseshell, and plastic. Western civilizations placed less emphasis on tongue cleaning. Between the 15th and 19th century, tongue cleaning was primarily practiced by those who were affluent. It was recorded in Europe in the 18th and 19th centuries that Romans also performed tongue cleaning. In the 20th century, a wide variety of tongue cleaning devices came on the commercial market.

Types

The top surface of the tongue can be cleaned using a tongue cleaner, a tongue brush/scraper or a

toothbrush A toothbrush is a special type of brush used to clean the Human tooth, teeth, gingiva, gums, and tongue. It consists of a head of tightly clustered bristles, atop of which toothpaste can be applied, mounted on a handle (grip), handle which facil ...

. However, toothbrushes are not considered as effective for this purpose because they have a smaller width and are designed for brushing teeth, which have a solid structure unlike the spongy tissue of the tongue. This can reduce its ability to remove debris and microorganisms. Some toothbrush designs have projections on the back of their heads to act as a tongue cleaner. Ergonomic tongue cleaners are shaped in accordance with the anatomy of the tongue, and are optimized to lift and trap the plaque coating and effectively clean the surface of the tongue. There are many different types of tongue cleaners. They can be plastic or metal straps, plastic and/or small brush bristles that form "rakes" or circular devices with handles. Their effectiveness varies depending on the shape, dimensions, configuration, quality of the contact surfaces and materials used. Tongue cleaners are mostly inexpensive, small, easy to clean and durable.

References

External links

Bad breath 'damages career prospects'
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