It is part of the equipment of every Ayurveda devotee and should not be missing when travelling: the tongue scraper. What is the truth behind the recommendation, what are the benefits, how is it done and what should you look out for?
Oral hygiene in Ayurveda
The Ayurvedic classic „Caraka Samhita“ emphasised the importance of daily hygiene for health 2000 years ago. Oral hygiene includes oil rinses, brushing your teeth and cleaning your tongue.
A thin coating forms on the tongue overnight, which is deposited on the grass in the morning like dew. This coating is considered waste (mala) and should be removed in the morning using a metal tongue scraper.
Specific metals were even recommended for each dosha:
Copper for Kapha dominance, silver for Pitta dominance and gold for Vata dominance.
The cheaper stainless steel version is also suitable for all three Dosha.
The daily morning ritual has another benefit in addition to cleansing.
Looking at our tongue is always a little „self-diagnosis“:
- If the coating is thicker, we may have been a little lax in our eating habits and overloaded our digestive system.
- Dryness, cracks and paleness indicate excess Vata.
- Redness indicates heat and an increase in Pitta.
- Swelling and mucus deposits are associated with increased Kapha.
Tongue cleaning is modern
The rough surface of the tongue offers bacteria an ideal place to settle. Around two thirds of all bacteria in the mouth are located on the back of the tongue. The bacterial coating on the tongue harbours numerous germs that are responsible for bad breath, inflammation, dental disease and impaired taste sensation.
This is why dentists and ENT specialists also recommend regularly scraping off excess plaque. At least a third can be easily removed.
And this is how it's done...
After getting up in the morning, rinse your mouth briefly with warm water to moisturise the oral cavity, which is often dry in the morning. Hold your tongue scraper by the open ends and scrape off the coating 3-4 times from back to front, applying light pressure. Wash the appliance with hot water after each scraping. More frequent or pressure-intensive scraping is no longer effective and is more likely to disturb the natural microflora of the tongue.
Do not use plastic scrapers - the oral mucosa is very absorbent and harmful plastics can contaminate the body.
A toothbrush is also unsuitable for tongue cleaning, as it is an Eldorado for bacteria and is difficult to clean.
Enjoy the feeling of freshness and purity after tongue scraping.
I promise you: Your scraper will always be with you from now on!
With best wishes for your health,
Ralph Steuernagel
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