Tongue scraping may seem like a straightforward ritual, but we’ve seen firsthand how the tongue scraping industry can generate some confusion and overwhelm…

Copper vs stainless steel tongue scraper? Arched design or single-handed? How hard should you press down? How do you know if you’re doing it right?

We’re doing more than just scratching (or should we say scraping?) the surface of tongue scraping. We’re diving into the nitty gritty, answering your specific questions about this ancient practice and sharing our favorite tips. Spoiler alert: many of them involve our stainless steel tongue scraper.

brushing up on the benefits of tongue scraping

Tongue scraping has been around for thousands of years, thriving as a cornerstone of dental Ayurveda and also appearing in Arabic, African, Chinese, South American, and European cultures throughout history.

Originating thousands of years ago in India, Ayurveda takes a holistic approach to health, wellness, and medicine, maintaining that your body, mind, and spirit are all closely linked. The benefits of tongue scraping fit beautifully into this ethos, as it’s thought to nurture your oral health, gut health, mental health, and beyond all at once. To refresh, some of the benefits of tongue scraping include…

• removing toxins, bacteria, debris, dead cells, and mucus: research finds that tongue scraping can successfully reduce bad bacteria in your mouth, helping to restore balance among the 700+ species of bacteria. In turn, this can help prevent bad breath, tooth decay, gum disease, and more.
• stimulating associated organs: the principles of Ayurveda state that certain organs are associated with regions of your tongue. When that region is stimulated and cleaned with a tongue scraper, it’s thought to stimulate the tissue and reduce the toxic load for that organ. This helps to restore balance throughout your entire body.
• improving digestion and overall gut health: digestion begins in your mouth, and studies show that some harmful bacteria that exist in your mouth can easily travel into your gut if not addressed. Research shows that tongue scraping in the morning can improve your digestion, elimination, and overall energy levels.
• improving your taste: by cleansing and renewing your taste buds, tongue scraping is thought to improve taste and give you a fresh palate.
• increasing health awareness: examining your tongue every morning during your tongue scraping routine can give you insights into your overall health. Ayurveda suggests that the color and texture of your tongue can tell you a lot about your overall health. Most commonly, a white tongue suggests an oral yeast infection (candida).
• nurturing your mental health: improved taste, oral health, and gut health can have huge positive impacts on mental health, as more “feel-good chemicals” and less inflammation throughout the body are known to improve your mental health over time.

Now, let’s dive into which is the best tongue scraper, and how to create the best tongue scraping routine.

copper vs stainless steel tongue scraper

There are a lot of tongue scrapers out there, but we can sum up the biggest competition on the market in one phrase: copper vs stainless steel tongue scraper.

Given that we sell a professional-grade stainless steel tongue scraper at Davids, you can guess which one we prefer. But let’s dive into some of the unbiased differences.

First things first, let’s start by saying that both copper and steel are durable and capable of getting the job done. The biggest difference between the two is that a stainless steel tongue scraper will not tarnish, whereas a copper one might (even if you care for it properly). Your tongue scraper will get wet every time you use it, so you don’t want to worry about the water altering the material’s chemical makeup. You can throw our professional-grade stainless steel tongue scraper into the dishwasher (or hand wash it) without any worry!

Now that we’ve covered copper vs stainless steel tongue scraper, let’s talk about the shape and design of your tongue scraper. We (and dental professionals) prefer our all-metal one-handed design for easy use and long-term durability.

Other stainless steel tongue scrapers come in an arch shape with plastic handles. Plastic is less durable than stainless steel, and we don’t recommend putting plastic in your dishwasher (as it can release harmful chemicals at high temperatures). We find that our single-hand stainless steel design is easy to grip and safe to clean.

how to tongue scrape

While it might seem obvious to some, a lot of questions can arise about how to tongue scrape. See our answers on some of the most common ones below!

• Should I scrape my tongue before or after brushing? Our favorite routine goes (1) floss with our expanding, infused dental floss (2) brush with our natural toothpaste (3) scrape with our stainless steel tongue scraper (4) if you want to, swish with a clean, healthy hydroxyapatite mouthwash. Explore our previous article to see why we prefer scraping after brushing.
• How hard should I scrape my tongue? Tongue scraping should be a gentle movement. You shouldn’t feel pain or stinging and you shouldn’t see any blood. The pressure you use should be enough to remove the film on the surface of your tongue without any discomfort.
• How often should I scrape my tongue? We recommend tongue scraping at least once daily, but if you love how clean it feels (like we do), you can do it twice daily!
• How do I know if I’m doing it right? After tongue scraping, your tongue should be pain-free with no bleeding. You should feel a new, unique level of cleanness in your mouth, such that when you stop tongue scraping, you notice the difference. It’s hard to explain if you’ve never felt it before, so we highly recommend giving it a try!

Whether you’ve never tongue scraped before, or you're a seasoned pro, our stainless steel tongue scraper is the perfect tool to achieve your mouth’s cleanest clean.

buy now.