I can’t stop talking about my tongue scraper

During one of my late-night TikTok scroll sessions back in December, I stumbled upon a video of a woman detailing her dental routine. I usually wouldn’t pay more than a few seconds of attention to this type of content, but the many steps she was going through struck a chord with me, as someone who had just flossed and brushed my teeth before slipping into bed. In the video, she waxed poetic about a tool called a tongue scraper. Embedded in her persuasiveness was an underlying tone of judgement—as if, through the phone, she couldn’t believe I had never used one of these metal implements to remove gunk from my tongue. So I did what any normal person would do: went straight to Amazon and got a pack of tongue scrapers Primed to my apartment.

Two days later, I trialed the U-shaped metal tool after brushing my teeth both morning and night. I kept at the daily tongue scraping for weeks, all the while thinking of that girl from TikTok with perfect teeth. But it wasn’t until I was sitting in a team meeting recently, singing the praises of my trusty Amazon tongue scraper—in the same manner I would recommend a high-end moisturiser or luxurious new spa treatment—that I realised I hadn’t gone one day since buying the tool three months ago without using it in my routine. In other words, I was fully hooked.

Tongue scraping is said to deliver a slew of benefits, the most obvious being removing bacteria from your tongue that can cause bad breath or dental decay. But the thing that pleasantly surprised me is how it can theoretically improve your immune system by creating a more optimum oral health environment. Despite lots of transatlantic travel, late nights, and flu season, I miraculously haven’t been ill all winter. I firmly believe my tongue scraper is to thank, though scientific evidence linking the practice to more resilient immunity is scant. Still, it’s worth trying for yourself, especially if you keep getting sick.

I used to think my job as a beauty editor was limited to testing the latest high-tech office treatment or buzzy product. Now, I can add dental tools to my list of items to road test. But if my introduction to tongue scraping has taught me anything, it’s that we will try anything to improve our well-being (beauty routines and tools included). Take the mouth-taping trend—which, just as it sounds, means taping your mouth shut while you sleep to encourage nose breathing, increase your energy levels, and even tighten your jawline—or drinking a “sleepy girl mocktail” that uses magnesium powders to promote a better night’s rest. Tongue scraping is just another easy-to-adopt practice with few cons and potentially tons of pros.

 

 

 

 

 

 

While adding another step to your oral care routine might seem excessive to some people, it gives me a sense of control over my health. After all, the very act of indulging in a beauty routine stems from the idea that you have complete creative control over the products you use and the regimen you adopt. So I will keep moonlighting as a tongue-scraping publicist, hoping it brings as much joy and as many healthy days to someone else as it has to me.

 

Feature Image credits: Design by Perri Tomkiewicz 

This article originally appeared in harpersbazaar.com/us in March 2024

Also Read: Is your lip balm the reason why your lips are chapped?

                : Can rosehip oil make your skin look youthful and glowing?