key takeaways
- Tongue scraping clears bacteria, toxins, and dead cells from the tongue’s surface, prevents bad breath by removing odor-causing particles, and enhances your sense of taste.
- It also supports overall health by reducing bad bacteria in the mouth, which enter the body when swallowed.
- If you’re wondering when to use a tongue scraper, the optimal dental routine order is to use your tongue scraper first, then you can do oil pulling if that is part of your routine, before flossing and brushing. We recommend finishing with a gentle, alcohol free mouthwash.
- Davids’ tongue scraper is made of medical-grade stainless steel and features an easy-to-use, one-handed grip with a soft, curved head to minimize the gag reflex.
Whether you’ve never heard of tongue scraping before or you’ve been using a tongue scraper for years, it can be confusing to determine the most effective order of operations for your oral care routine.
Why use a tongue scraper, and should I do it before or after brushing?
We’ve asked ourselves the same question a time or two. And lucky for you, we’ve found the answer. Follow along as we discuss when to use a tongue scraper + all of the amazing benefits it adds to your oral care routine.
should I scrape my tongue before or after brushing?
You’ll get maximum benefits if you scrape before brushing, especially when there’s still a bit of toothpaste left behind.
Your tongue is full of cracks, grooves, and pores. So when you scrape your tongue before brushing, you allow the bacteria-fighting ingredients of our naturally derived toothpaste to enter these spaces to clean more deeply.
Here’s the ideal order of your oral care routine and when to use a tongue scraper within it:
1. use your Davids tongue scraper
As explained above, there are many reasons why using a tongue scraper is beneficial to your oral health. We’ll discuss this more in the next section.
2. do oil pulling
Oil pulling is a practice that originates from Ayurveda, the traditional Hindu system of medicine. The oil naturally binds to and captures debris, food particles, and certain types of bacteria and helps to remove these impurities when spat out.
3. floss
While most dentists will floss your teeth after cleaning, we recommend doing it before. When you floss, you’re dislodging particles and bacteria from the tiny crevices between your teeth. If you don’t brush after doing this, some of those particles and bacteria may remain in your mouth.
Plus, when you floss before brushing, you allow your teeth to receive the maximum effect of your toothpaste. If you’re using our nano hydroxyapatite toothpaste, flossing first may allow those hydroxyapatite particles to better penetrate weakened areas and remineralize your enamel.
4. brush with Davids
Brushing with our clean-ingredient toothpastes sets your mouth up for the perfect tongue scraping. They deliver bacteria-fighting, teeth-whitening, and enamel-restoring ingredients to your mouth, leaving it fresh and primed for tongue scraping.
5. finish with a gentle mouthwash
When you finish with an alcohol free rinse like Davids Hydroxi™ fresh breath mouthwash, you allow the ingredients to penetrate and nourish your freshly cleaned teeth. It's formulated with gentle yet effective ingredients, so you get all the benefits without the burn of conventional mouthwashes.
One last pro tip: We recommend doing this entire routine first thing in the morning before you eat or drink anything.
This is because tons of bacteria form and fester in your mouth while you sleep, so if you wake up and take a big gulp of water, you might be swallowing harmful bacteria that could disrupt the balance of your gut microbiome. Avoid this by starting your day with a fresh mouth.
why use a tongue scraper?
Now that we know when to use a tongue scraper, let’s take a look at the why. The benefits of a tongue scraper are undeniable. If you’re not already using one, here are a few great reasons to start:
- it clears bacteria, toxins, and dead cells from your tongue: this is perhaps the most obvious benefit, as tongue scraping removes residue and microorganisms from your tongue's surface.
- it can prevent bad breath: tongue scraping is one of the most effective ways to remove odor-causing particles from your tongue (especially the back of your tongue).
- it can enhance your sense of taste: tongue scraping cleanses and rejuvenates your taste buds. One study found that just two weeks of tongue scraping resulted in improved taste.
- it increases your overall health awareness: ancient Ayurveda claims that you can learn a lot about your current state of health by the appearance of your tongue. Conventional doctors also tend to follow this concept, which is why many doctors and dentists will ask you to stick out your tongue at the beginning of an exam.
- it can reduce your overall toxin load: dental Ayurveda also states that your tongue is directly connected to several of your vital organs. When you use a tongue scraper, you remove toxins from your tongue while stimulating the tissue, which does the same for the connected organs. The result? You help your organs detox and restore balance.
- it can improve your digestion: your mouth is the window to your gut, and reducing the amount of bad bacteria in your mouth does the same in your intestines, allowing the good bacteria to flourish and promote good digestion.
For a deeper dive into when to use a tongue scraper and its benefits, check out our previous article: why use a tongue scraper? 5 little-known facts about its benefits.
why Davids is the best tongue scraper
Tongue scraping has been around for centuries, so there’s no shortage of tongue scraper options on the market. We’d like to explain some of the things that set ours apart from the rest.
Our tongue scraper is the Tongue Sweeper Model P, which sports these amazing qualities:
- stainless steel construction: this model is dishwasher safe, hypoallergenic, BPA-free, and non-toxic. Unlike plastic and bamboo tongue scrapers, it’s extremely durable and will not break from everyday use. This high-quality metal will not show sharp edges like some copper and other low-quality metal options.
- dentist designed: the Tongue Sweeper is used as an example in dental schools! Its patented design is preferred by dental professionals.
- easy to use: unlike most tongue scrapers, it’s designed with a one-handed grip with a soft, curved head to reduce initiating the gag reflex and to promote overall ease of use. This model can be used by adults and children 5+ years of age, and you can even use it on your pets.
Davids’ tongue scraper is a safe, sustainable, and effective way to elevate and optimize your oral health. When you use it and pair it with our premium dental care products, it’s one of the best and easiest ways to start and end your day on the freshest possible note.
FAQs
does it make a difference if I use a tongue scraper before or after brushing my teeth?
When to use a tongue scraper is all about preference, although most dental experts recommend scraping before brushing for a cleaner surface. You get maximum benefits from scraping before brushing with a quality toothpaste.
This allows the toothpaste’s bacteria-fighting ingredients to penetrate the tongue’s grooves and pores before the scraper wipes away the remaining residue for a deeper clean.
is it better to use a tongue scraper before or after mouthwash?
The ideal order is before. Scraping first loosens and removes debris, allowing your mouthwash to disinfect more effectively. Using mouthwash before scraping may rinse the mouth, but it won’t fully lift the thicker biofilm that mechanical scraping removes.
When considering when to use a tongue scraper, think of scraping as the preparation step that makes every other product work better.
do I need to scrape my tongue every day?
We recommend daily scraping for most people because your tongue collects bacteria, food particles, and dead cells throughout the day and night. These can contribute to bad breath and even plaque buildup on the teeth.
A daily tongue-scraping habit keeps your oral environment more balanced and helps maintain fresher breath overall. You can also use it whenever your tongue feels coated.
does tongue scraping actually improve bad breath?
Yes, this is one of the main reasons why using a tongue scraper is ideal. A significant percentage of odor-causing bacteria live on the back of the tongue. Brushing alone often doesn’t remove this buildup.
Scraping physically lifts that bacterial layer, giving you noticeably fresher breath, especially when paired with brushing and flossing.
should kids use a tongue scraper too?
Children often struggle with thorough brushing, so bacteria can linger on the tongue and contribute to bad breath. They can also benefit from tongue scraping.
Make sure they use gentle pressure, and always supervise to ensure they don’t scrape too far back.
