Analyzing A TikTok Trend: Is Tongue Scraping Safe, And Is It A Good Idea?

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- You never know these days what is going to show up on TikTok as the latest trend or craze some causing health concerns -- but the newest one, involving tongue scraping, is quite the opposite, and is one that should be encouraged.

The first question -- what is a tongue scraper?

"There are either metal or plastic device that you use and you scrape it across your tongue and it removes bacteria that harbor on your tongue," said Dr. Katie Polley-Schemel.

The bacteria that the scrapers move is the type that hides behind the bumps on your tongue that contain the taste buds.

"Bacteria that cause gum disease, cavities, and bad breath tend to harbor around those papilla and the toothbrush doesn't do a great job at cleaning it off," Dr. Polley-Schemel said.

This means that tongue scraping is indeed a good idea.

"Absolutely. I recommend it for all of my patients," Dr. Polley-Schemel said.

One might wonder why a thing like tongue scraping would become a TikTok trend, but it's thought that people like things involving self-care.

Dr. Polley-Schemel says that it is possible to hurt yourself while performing tongue scraping, saying that you only want to use light pressure.

She added that she recommends tongue scraping every time you brush your teeth -- so, morning and night.