Tongue scraping is possibly a less known part of a healthy oral healthcare regiment but can be helpful in reducing bacteria and freshening breath. The tongue can give you insight into a number of systems in your body, including your digestive health as well as your immune function. The coating on the tongue can be a good hiding spot for bacteria as well as food debris. Daily tongue scraping removes this layer and can help improve overall oral health and improve your ability to taste food. In order to clean your tongue you can purchase a quality metal tongue scraper (copper, stainless steel or silver) or you can simply use a teaspoon. I recommend doing this first thing when you wake up, prior to brushing, rinsing, eating or drinking. Start at the back of the tongue, using gentle pressure scrape forward in the center of your tongue. Repeat this on the right and left sides. Several repetitions of this should be sufficient. Rinse off your tongue scraper with hot water.