Do Dentists Recommend Tongue Scraping? Yes — And Here’s Why
Feb. 14, 2025
Brushing and flossing aren’t the whole job — here’s the step most guys skip
By Dr. Yenile Y. Pinto, DDS
You brush, you floss, and you figure you’re covered. But there’s one step most people skip entirely — and it happens to be the one that does the most for your breath. AskMen asked me and a few other dentists about tongue scraping, and I’ll tell you what I tell my own guests: it’s the easiest upgrade you can make to your routine.
Most bad breath doesn’t start in your teeth. It starts on your tongue, where bacteria and debris collect and ferment overnight. A quick scrape clears that off in about thirty seconds — and for odor, research suggests it beats brushing alone. There’s a quieter benefit, too: a cleaner tongue means a lighter bacterial load in your mouth, and the bacteria in your mouth don’t stay in your mouth.
It can actually make your food taste more delicious. Removing buildup from your tongue helps expose your taste buds so they work better, making flavors sharper and more enjoyable. My husband swears he can taste the finish of his scotch better ever since he started tongue scraping.
The method is simple. Stick out your tongue, set the scraper near the back, and pull forward with light pressure, rinsing between passes. Gentle is the whole game — too much pressure can irritate your taste buds, and if your tongue ever stings, ease off for a few days. Morning tends to be the best time, when the overnight buildup is heaviest. Once a day, after brushing, is plenty; more isn’t better.
Tongue scraping is one small piece of a much bigger picture — how the ecosystem in your mouth connects to your whole-body health . If your breath won’t improve no matter what you try, that’s usually a sign something underneath needs a closer look, and it’s worth a visit.
Keep Smiling
Dr. Yenile Pinto
