Does tongue-scraping really help improve your breath?

Tongue scrapers come in all shapes and sizes – and with all kinds of promises. From reducing bad breath to (somehow) reducing plaque build-up, tongue scrapers have been touted as one of the best over-the-counter dental tools in ages.

By scraping the surface of the tongue, these devices are said to eliminate bacteria in the mouth and improve bad breath. The effectiveness of these theories has not been validated.

Dentists unanimously agree that the most important tools for maintaining oral health are the good old tooth brush and floss. While most people brush their teeth at least once or twice daily, flossing falls far behind, with only about 12 percent of Americans flossing daily, and 49 percent don’t floss at all.

Does tongue-scraping really help improve your breath?

The American Dental Association says that there are many benefits to regular flossing, including decreased risk of gum disease, better breath, reduced plaque build-up between teeth and polished tooth surfaces.

What if You Brush And Floss But Still Have Bad Breath

Bad breath is generally an indication of bacterial imbalance in the mouth. The best way to kiss bad breath (and its ugly cousin, morning breath) good-bye is to get the bacteria in your mouth back in balance.

What? I Have Bacteria in My Mouth?

You sure do. In fact, the human mouth is home to between 700 – 800 bacteria. Most of these bacteria are just hanging around because the mouth is a warm, wet, dark place. They cause no harm and affect no benefit. A few, however, are to blame for bad breath. These bacteria naturally emit volatile sulfur compounds as a byproduct. These VSCs are to blame for the vast majority of chronic bad breath conditions.

On the flip side, there are also beneficial bacteria that make their home in the human mouth. If you have chronic bad breath, you are likely lacking in the beneficial bacteria department.

An Easy Fix for a Stinky Problem

Many cultures have long relied on the health benefits of beneficial bacteria, often called probiotics. Through more than 25 years of research, one American researcher, Dr. Jeffrey Hillman, has identified three strains of probiotics found in very healthy mouths. Using this information, Dr. Hillman had developed a probiotic mint that, when used twice daily after brushing, can stop bad-breath-causing bacteria in its tracks. The beneficial bacteria in these mints crowd out the bacteria responsible for bad breath making your mouth kissing fresh – even before you brush in the morning.