Search for the term ‘tongue scraper’ on TikTok and you’ll be met with an avalanche of videos extolling the virtues of small tongue-cleaning devices that resemble a cross between a vegetable peeler and a bottle opener. Perhaps, in pursuit of a brighter, fresher gape, you’ve had a go with a tongue scraper yourself. But what does the science say about these tools? Should you be spending extra time scraping bacteria off your tongue? And will it help you if you’re prone to bad breath?
WHAT’S THE IDEA BEHIND TONGUE SCRAPING?
The thinking is straightforward: cleaning your tongue helps reduce the build-up of debris and bacteria that can give it an unpleasant tinge and cause bad breath.
A healthy mouth contains around 700 species of bacteria. But as Dr Zoe Brookes, associate professor of dental education and research at the University of Plymouth, explains, poor oral hygiene and build-up of bacterial coatings or films on the tongue can drive down diversity and allow anaerobic species (those that grow without oxygen) to dominate. These species thrive in pits at the back of the tongue, where they break down proteins in food and saliva to produce the smelly, sulphurous compounds linked to bad breath.
“The more mature this film is, the more anaerobic bacteria there are – the more smell-producing bacteria,” says Brookes. “So, the idea is that these tongue scrapers are going to pull this film off, get rid of all the smelly bacteria and then you get a healthy microbiome.”
Denne historien er fra February 2024-utgaven av BBC Science Focus.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra February 2024-utgaven av BBC Science Focus.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
THE HUNGER GAME
Obesity is on the rise, but as we blame our unhealthy food-ridden environment and look to wonder drugs to get rid of unwanted fat, what role do our genetics play?
HOW THE UNIVERSE WILL END
A colossal supercollider now in the early stages of development may one day help us predict the ultimate fate of the Universe. With it, scientists will be trying to find a hidden instability built into the fabric of existence... an instability that could destroy everything
DARK ENERGY MIGHT BE ABOUT TO THROW A SPANNER IN THE WORKS
The most mysterious phenomenon in the Universe could be about to spring another surprise on us
TAKE-OFF AT LAST
AFTER A LONG WAIT, THE WORLD'S FIRST ZERO EMISSIONS AEROPLANES ARE FINALLY TAXIING TO REALITY. BUT ARE THEY THE SOLUTION WE NEED?
INSIDE THE 3D, NANOSCALE ATLAS THAT REVEALS A FRACTION OF THE HUMAN BRAIN
The map is now the highest-resolution picture of the human brain ever created
HOW THE LATEST DEVELOPMENT IN NUCLEAR FORENSICS MAY HELP CLEAN UP CHERNOBYL
Contrary to popular belief, radioactive material doesn't glow. But a team of nuclear forensics experts are working on a device to make it do just that. BBC Science Focus's Noa Leach meets the scientists behind the innovative device
MAJOR STUDY SHOWS HOW ULTRA-PROCESSED FOODS CHANGE YOUR LIFESPAN, IF YOU'RE NOT EATING YOUR VEG
While ultra-processed food is bad for your health, a decades-long study suggests it may not be as harmful as previously thought
ORIGIN OF EARTH'S 'SECOND MOON' DISCOVERED
Asteroid sampling mission will confirm whether moon-like Kamo'oalewa came from our Moon
INTERMITTENT FASTING AND CORRECTLY TIMED WORKOUTS ARE KEY TO FAT LOSS, SAYS STUDY
A new approach to dieting and exercise could help you lose weight and enhance your health
MASSIVE EXPLOSION SPOTTED ON MYSTERIOUS DEAD STAR
A satellite in the right place at the right time captured an important cosmic sight