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Effects of Daily Mechanical Tongue Scraping The most frequently recommended and widely accepted method of basic oral hygiene is tooth brushing. While the practice of tooth brushing is effective in reducing tooth decay and specific oral bacteria, it cleans only selected areas of the teeth and the gingiva. For this reason, patients have been encouraged to use complimentary methods of oral hygiene such as dental floss, mouth wash, water jet devices and toothpicks. However, the benefits of using these additional methods of oral hygiene limited still to only clean tooth surfaces and gingiva. Evidence gathered from a study conducted by Gilmore and Bhaskar indicates that several oral diseases are believed to be caused by microorganisms that are retained within the oral cavity. Related studies by Crawford and Jacobson have demonstrated that the rough pappilary structure of the tongue provides an extremely large surface area for the accumulation of debris and microorganisms. Gibbons and Gordon studies also have shown that the tongue is the main source of microorganisms and bacteria. Therefore, in consideration of these findings, it is obvious that the periodic cleansing of the tongue should be included in the patient's oral hygiene program to reduce the number of microorganisms within the oral cavity. Tongue cleaning is not new to mankind. It has been practiced in Eastern cultures since ancient times. Until recently, the cleansing of the tongue has been largely an unrecognized practice in the West; however, it is becoming increasingly popular with today's dentists as an essential procedure of oral hygiene. Several clinical studies conducted by well respected researchers have demonstrated the benefits of tongue cleansing. Dr S. N. Bhaskar and Dr. E. L. Gilmore's research has proven that one week of tongue cleansing reduced the total number of all Streptococcal species from the tongue. Additional data gathered by Dr. G. J. Vasilakis and Dr. C. O. Preis provides conclusive evidence that tongue cleansing eliminates or significantly reduces plaque forming organisms within the oral cavity. Obviously, tongue cleansing is essential for a total oral hygiene program. However, the method or procedure for cleansing the tongue most effectively has never been determined. Tongue brushing has been advocated intermittently by Western scientists. and mechanical tongue scraping also has been practiced successfully. Never the less, until now, a pertinent question has never has been answered: Specifically, Which is a more effective procedure tongue scraping or tongue brushing? The purpose of this study, therefore, is to investigate which method, tongue scraping or tongue brushing is more effective in reducing the bacterial populations on the dorsum of the tongue and in improving its clinical appearance. An additional objective of this study is to observe which method is more comfortable for the patient and easier to perform. The bacteriological studies that were conducted consisted of analyzing direct cultures taken from a pre-selected area of the tongue. For the sake of brevity in this report, a detailed itemization of the materials and methods used in conducting this study will not be included. Nevertheless, the results of this study should be shared with the dental profession for their information and reference. |
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