The Best Things for Cleaning Your Tongue, According to Dentists and Hygienists

All of the experts we spoke to agreed that you should clean your tongue at least once a day, and most said that a simpler routine is better. One great option is a toothbrush (which we’ll get to in a minute), but if you really want to get down to the nitty gritty of tongue cleaning, you can’t beat a metal tongue scraper like this one. Dr. Michelle Yagoda, attending otolaryngologist and facial plastic surgeon at Lenox Hill Hospital, says that tongue brushes and scrapers can be used to treat physiologic halitosis, the origin of which is “often post-nasal drip, gastroesophageal reflux, or poor dental hygiene.” If you suspect any of these issues is causing your bad breath, Yagoda also suggests treating those directly — but in the meantime, a scraper will really help alleviate bad breath.

Plotnick also recommends Dr. Tung’s scraper, but says that “any stainless-steel scraper will do.” She notes that plastic scrapers are less durable and harder to sterilize. To get the most out of your tongue scraping, Plotnick encourages patients to use the tool first thing in the morning, and says for the best results you should stick your tongue out all the way and scrape from the very back to the tip, never in reverse. “Rinse the scraper after each pass to avoid re-depositing any debris back on the tongue,” she says. “Keep going until the scraper no longer picks anything up and your tongue is a fleshy, pink color.”

If you want to go the tongue scraper route, you have other options — namely two, which Steven Smith, a dental hygienist at Nassau Street Dental, classifies by shape: U-shape and T-shape. “For patients with no difficulty using their hands, I recommend disposable U-shaped scrapers,” says Dr. Smith. “They are very soft and flexible allowing anyone to contour it to any portion of the tongue, including the very-difficult-to-reach back of the tongue.” He says that their flexibility and simplicity in design makes it easier to avoid having a gag reflex, and since they’re disposable and don’t have bristles (like a toothbrush), they’re more sanitary and collect less bacteria. His pick for a U-shaped scraper is one from the brand Scrapeyourtongue.com.

“For patients with limited dexterity in their hands as a result of arthritis or carpal tunnel, the T-shaped scrapers are best,” Smith says. He compares the handle design to that of a toothbrush, and says that for those suffering with arthritis, it can make a big difference to have a tool you can hold in your palm, rather than between your finger tips. “For those who still have difficulty holding the handle as they can be fairly slim, they can try slicing a small hole in a tennis ball and placing the handle inside allowing greater surface area to hold on to.” For this shape, Smith recommends the Wondrous Clean Tongue Wand. The angled head is part of this scraper’s draw, too: “I like tongue scrapers that have an angle to get into the posterior of the tongue and scratch off the bacteria,” says Dr. Allison Cuevas.

Those with more sensitive mouths might want to consider this DenTek cleaner, which comes recommended by Dr. Lana Rozenberg. “It’s made of plastic, and softer on the tongue than other options,” she says. “This is a great choice for those who want to avoid the harsher scrape you get with metal cleaners.” The handle is similar to that of a toothbrush, making it particularly easy to grip, and the head is comprised of three concentric mint-flavored circle edges, which, Rozenberg notes, means you’re essentially getting three scrapes with every one motion. She suggests rinsing with mouthwash after you’re done scraping to ensure all the bacteria you’ve cleaned off of your tongue has left your mouth.

If you want to get your kids into the habit of tongue scraping — which pediatric dentist Rashmi Ambewadikar suggested should be part of their twice daily oral hygiene routine — this set of candy-inspired scrapes is a good place to start. “These have a fun shape, are colorful, and are easy for kids to hold,” says Ambewadikar. “Ease them into it — start in the middle of the tongue, then pull it forward. Once they get used to it, work on starting a little further back.” Each of these scrapers comes with a plastic cover, ensuring they’ll stay germ-free in the medicine cabinet.

“For patients with deep grooves in the tongue we refer to as fissures, I recommend tongue brushes as they can dislodge food particles and bacteria trapped between taste buds and fissures alike,” says Smith. He notes that if food gets trapped in those fissures, bacteria can grow and then break down to release noxious gases, a.k.a. bad breath. And if you’re someone with deep tongue grooves, it’s a good idea to specifically invest in a tongue brush, rather than a toothbrush you can also use to clean your tongue. “As tempting as it is to assume the toothbrush would do the same job as a tongue brush, toothbrush bristles are too soft because they are designed to brush teeth but not damage enamel so they tend not to remove enough biofilm from the tongue,” says Smith. He recommends giving Orabrush a try.

Still, if you’re looking to streamline your dental-hygiene routine (but still want to clean your tongue), a toothbrush with a built-in tongue and cheek scraper is a good choice. “I am all about convenience which leads to good compliance and good oral health. Keep it simple,” says Dr. Golda Erdfarb, a professor at Touro College of Dental Medicine, who recommends the Colgate 360 with a built-in tongue and cheek scraper. “Many toothbrushes have these on the back of the head of the toothbrush … I think this is a feature that is commonly overlooked by consumers.”

And if you’re an Oral-B loyalist, Dr. Rebecca Block recommends the Pro-Health All-in-One, which, like the Colgate, has a built-in tongue scraper, which “provides a reminder and easy access to clean one’s tongue.”

If you prefer to use all-natural products, Yagoda likes this alcohol-free, homeopathic rinse from Alkalol which, though labeled as a Nasal Wash, is good for your mouth, too. She recommends Alkalol because “it is bacteriostatic (makes an environment that it’s hard for bacteria to live in), mucolytic (thins out the mucus so that it’s hard for bacteria to live in it), and refreshing.” She stresses that sticking to alcohol-free rinses or washes is important, as generally “mouthwashes containing alcohol increase the risk of oral cancer.” And she does not recommend popping a piece of Dentyne in lieu of using mouth wash, because “chewing gum can produce methyl mercaptan, one of the principal components of oral malodour, leading to persistent halitosis.”

“Since many kids won’t like the taste of adult Listerine, this is a great alcohol-free option that comes in a bubble gum flavor,” says Dr. Ambewadikar, adding: “only children that are able to rinse and spit out consistently should use mouthwashes at all.”

“In conjunction with your tongue scraper, you may also spray the tongue with an antibacterial spray prior to scraping to aid in further removal of as much bacteria as possible,” says Smith. He recommends BreathRx (and we like this handy two-pack, which comes with a pair of plastic tongue scrapers and seems perfect for freshening up on the go.)