Ancient Tongue Cleaning

Have you noticed the rise in the popularity of tongue scrapers? Well, believe it or not, tongue cleaning is far from a new trend. To help feed your craving for knowledge of all things dental, here are a few facts on the history of tongue cleaning.

In traditional Indian medicine, also referred to as Ayurveda, tongue cleaning is endorsed as just one part of the hygiene routine. Tongue cleaning removes foreign debris, also known as Ama. This practice has existed since ancient times, and tongue scrapers in Ayurvedic practice are created from substances like gold, silver, brass, copper, and tin. Today, people in India use plastic scrapers to clean off their tongues.

India isn’t the only place to have practiced tongue cleaning for centuries: people from countries in Africa, South America, Europe and many other cultures have done tongue cleaning for many generations. Each of these peoples has special traditions when it comes to tongue cleaning, and the diverse substances utilized 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 Pinole, California, office a call now at 510-724-7474 to set up your next appointment. Dr. Feriel El Ghaoui and the Tara Hills Dental staff would be happy to support you in learning more.