Benefits of Ayurvedic Tongue Scraping
What is tongue scraping?
Jihwa Prakshalana, or Ayurvedic self-care ritual known as tongue scraping, is an oral hygiene practice that removes bacteria, food debris, fungi, toxins and dead cells from the surface of the tongue.
But it’s not just an Ayurvedic practice - The Romans did it. Eighteenth- and 19th-century Europeans did it. And yes - practitioners of Ayurveda, from 5,000 BCE to present day, do it every morning. (me too!)
When we sleep our digestive system remains awake, removing toxins from our body by depositing them on the surface of the tongue. If we don’t scrape away these toxins, they get reabsorbed by the body and can lead to all kinds of health problems such as - respiratory difficulties, digestive problems and a comprised immune system.
Dental research has concluded that a tongue scraper is more effective at removing toxins and bacteria from the tongue than a toothbrush. Although brushing and flossing will loosen and move debris around, they do not actually remove bacteria. Almost half of our oral bacteria live on and in the deep crevice of our tongue; the scrapping action of the tongue scraper collect these toxic tongue coatings (which can range in colour from clear, white, yellow or green) and remove them from the body.
Here some science if your that way inclined.
But here are some damn good reasons below…
5 reasons YOU should scrape your tongue.
Halitosis is not cool -
Bad breath can have an impact on a persons life, relationships and self esteem. Given that most bad breath comes from bad bacteria at the back of the tongue, clinical studies have found that tongue scraping significantly reduces and removes oral bacteria from the crevices of all areas of the tongue.
You want to experience the flavor of your food -
Proper digestion begins with taste and salivation. If you don’t take the steps to remove toxic mucus off the tongue, your taste buds can become blocked. This may lead to false cravings or an inability to recognise the taste of your food. Removing the build up from the tongue, will open up its pores and better expose your taste buds, allowing for greater enjoyment and supports you body to digest and assimilate food. - hmmm yummy!
You want to boost you immunity -
The tongue is part of the first line of defence in your immune system. Scraping prevents toxins from being reabsorbed into the body and boosts overall immune function.
You’re down with dental health -
Tongue scraping promotes general tooth and gum health and removes bacteria and toxins responsible for periodontal problems, plaque build up, tooth decay, loss of teeth, gum infections and gum recession.
You’d like to improve your digestive health -
In Ayurveda, proper digestion is considered to be the foundation of health. Given that digestion begins with taste, it's important to remove any toxins that may obstruct optimal functioning. Scraping also activates saliva production and promotes agni (the body’s digestive fire) to help with digestion throughout the day.
How to scrape your tongue.
This practice should be done on a regular basis, on an empty stomach, upon rising. A tongue scraper is a long, thin. flat piece of metal that is bent in a ‘U’ shape. (if you don’t have one - get one here)
Standing infront the mirror, you scrape your tongue by simply holding the scraper in both hands, sticking out your tongue and placing the scraper as far back on your tongue as possible. With firm yet gentle pressure scrape the surface of the tongue in one long stoke. Rinse the scraper and repeat until your tongue feels clean and free of coating (usually 5-10 times)
Do your best not to make yerself gag - that means you went too far back. Be gentle with yourself. This is a self-love practice and you want it to feel good.!!!
Afterwards I usually brush my teeth and finish with oil pulling - what’s that you say - more on that soon - start with the tongue scraping - and get that into your routine - easy peasey lemon squeezey!! Check out the blog coming soon on oil pulling…..more fun times for your mouth! (and digestive health!)
Head to our Soul Store to purchase your very own tongue scraper and start scraping!!
