The health of our mouths is an important factor to our overall physical health.  In Ayurveda, brushing and flossing the teeth twice a day is an essential part of the daily routine.  Tongue scraping is also recommended.  Tongue scrapers, or cleaners, are typically made out of stainless steel.  It takes only a moment to clean the tongue with this tool, and it helps to remove decay causing bacteria as well as encourage the removal of toxins from the digestive tract.  The Sanskrit word for these toxins is “ama” and research shows that tongue cleaning is the best way remove bacteria that cause bad breath.  It also helps to remove the coating on the tongue, leaving us with improved taste, and slowing the growth of plaque.