The Dentist Gave Me A Tongue Scraper and Told Me To Use It. Really?

Yes, really! A tongue scraper. Have you ever noticed the crud that collects on your tongue toward the back of your mouth? Look just once (that'll be enough) and you will understand. You need this simple little tool.  And you need to use it every day. 

Now, here's the reason why. Simply brushing your tongue isn't enough! I'm guilty of that...I thought I had the right idea, but I was corrected by an article I saw about the importance of scraping your tongue vs. brushing it. Food embeds itself in the papillae on your tongue every time you eat; the same way that dirt and particles get embedded in shag carpeting...(yes, they actually used that as an example) and it builds up and sits there day after day and rots, literally, on your tongue, causing bad breath. Using a tongue scraper once a day can remove the buildup of food and liquids and keep you out of embarrassing situations caused by halitosis...(ummm, bad breath)! 

You can find these little gems in drugstores and department stores and they're usually under $2. Try to make tongue scraping a part of your daily hygiene routine. You'll be glad you did. Oh, and be sure to check with your dentist or hygienist because many of them include tongue scrapers now in the hygiene kits that they hand out after a cleaning. 

As always, keep smiling!