Bad Breath and What The Experts Have to Say About it

"Tongue-cleaning is very important in Ayurveda, The dirt which is collected at the root of the tongue creates obstructions in respiration and produces a foul smell; hence one should scrape one's tongue (from Caraka Samhita, Sutrasthana, V, 75)- This process not only cleans the tongue, but also activates the salivary glands and cleans and revitalizes the throat. It saves you from throat and mouth infections. This practice is highly recommended for those who complain of a frequent bad throat." -- Dr. Vinod Verma, Ayurveda A Way of Life

"Good oral hygiene will take care of most bad breath Mouthwashes, mints, and chewing gum are only temporary cover-ups for bad breath." -- Time Life, The Medical Advisor, Bad Breath, Treatment

"The usual cause of bad breath is bacteria growing on the tongue, and sometimes around the gum lines, too. There are a couple of simple ways to take care of the problem. First, try a tongue scraper. This is a metal instrument that you use to scrape your tongue once or twice a day, cleaning off the bacteria I wouldn't pay much attention to the claims made about mouthwashes like Scope or Listerine. These germicidal formulas may help, but they often don't penetrate into the crevices of the tongue." -- Dr. Andrew Weil, www.drweil.com, Q & A Help for Halitosis?

"Cleaning the tongue, which many people neglect, is very important A tongue blade, a device used in the Middle East and India to scrape the tongue, may be helpful." -- Time Life, The Medical Advisor, Bad Breath, Treatment

"Once I was traveling in India and wanted to buy some souvenirs for my family and friends. I visited the local pharmacy and discovered a utensil designed to scrape the moss from the tongue. Indian people scrape the moss from their tongues so that they can eliminate accumulated waste and better appreciate the taste of their own cuisine! I was truly impressed. I bought many tongue scrapers that day and sent them to friends with the encouragement to scrape their tongues." -- Ohasi, Reading the Body: Ohasi's Book of Oriental Diagnosis

There has been a re-awakening of interest and focus on the posterior dorsal surface of the tongue as a site for malodor production. Reviews and papers that examined reduction of oral VSC by various dental hygiene procedures, strongly suggests that keeping the tongue clean is of major importance in reduction of oral malodor. The tongue provides an excellent harboring place for anaerobic organisms to proliferate (even in a patient with "good oral health") and to create malodors and bad tastes for the patient. -- Research Discussions: First International Workshop on Oral Malodor

A clinical research group has just requested samples for field evaluations. We are confident their report will be similar to the only other evaluation of current tongue cleaners, ranking tongue scrapers #1. You can recommend the tongue scraper with confidence and your patients will appreciate you for it. --Bad Breath Research Perspectives by: Mel Rosenberg

The Effects of Daily Mechanical Tongue Scraping vs. Daily Mechanical Tongue Brushing on Bacterial Flora, Results:
Ronald E. Mangie, B.S. Bacteriology, D.D.S 

1. Bacterial counts:
   Individuals who scraped their tongues displayed a significantly lower total Strep Salivarius count than individuals who brushed their tongues. Furthermore, no apparent damage to the tongue tissue or the taste buds was observed
2. 
   Clinical studies:
   The tongues of the patients who scraped were significantly cleaner and pinker than the tongues of patients who brushed. Additionally, the individuals who brushed their tongues often complained of gagging, choking and other discomforts, while the number of these complaints from the individuals who scraped their tongues were significantly less 
3. 
   Cleaner Taste:
   A related significant discovery of the study is that those subjects who scraped their tongues reported a cleaner, fresher taste in the mouth, and a marked improvement in the taste of food. Similar sensations were not reported by the subjects who brushed their tongues