Good oral hygiene is more than just brushing your teeth. While most people focus on keeping their teeth clean, the tongue is often overlooked despite being one of the biggest collectors of bacteria in the mouth. The surface of the tongue provides an ideal environment for bacteria, food particles, and dead cells to accumulate, contributing to bad breath and other oral health concerns.

Tongue scraping is a simple practice designed to remove buildup on the tongue. Using a specially designed tool, the tongue is gently cleaned in a matter of seconds, helping to leave the mouth feeling fresher and cleaner. Although it may seem like a minor addition to a daily routine, growing research suggests that tongue scraping can offer several benefits for oral health, from reducing harmful bacteria to improving breath freshness.

While brushing your teeth is essential, it does not always remove the buildup that settles on the tongue. Saliva production decreases significantly during sleep, allowing bacteria to multiply overnight. As a result, many people wake up with a coated tongue and stale breath.

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Research published in the Archives of Oral Biology found that tongue scrapers are more effective than toothbrushes at reducing bacterial buildup on the tongue, particularly in the back region where odour-causing bacteria are most likely to thrive.

The Benefits of Tongue Scraping

Reduces Harmful Bacteria

One of the most significant benefits of tongue scraping is its ability to reduce harmful bacteria in the mouth. A clinical study published on PubMed found that using a tongue scraper twice daily for just seven days significantly reduced levels of certain bacteria commonly associated with tooth decay and bad breath.

The study also reported a noticeable reduction in oral malodour, suggesting that tongue scraping can help improve overall oral hygiene without damaging the healthy tissue of the tongue.

May Help Lower the Risk of Tooth Decay

The tongue acts as a reservoir for oral bacteria. When these bacteria are allowed to accumulate, they can contribute to plaque formation on the teeth. Studies suggest that reducing bacterial buildup on the tongue may lower the number of cavity-causing bacteria in saliva, which could help decrease the risk of tooth decay and gum disease.

However, tongue scraping should be viewed as a complement to, not a replacement for, regular brushing, flossing, and routine dental check-ups.

Helps Freshen Breath

Fresh breath is perhaps the most noticeable benefit of tongue scraping. Research published in the Academy of General Dentistry’s peer-reviewed journal found that tongue scrapers were significantly more effective than toothbrushes at reducing volatile sulphur compounds, the chemicals primarily responsible for bad breath.

Another controlled clinical study involving 60 volunteers showed that tongue scraping, when combined with regular oral hygiene practices, significantly reduced morning breath odour.

May Improve Your Sense of Taste

A clean tongue may also help improve taste perception. When the tongue is coated with debris and bacteria, the taste buds can become partially blocked, making flavours seem less intense.

By removing this coating, tongue scraping may allow taste buds to function more effectively and support the activity of saliva enzymes involved in breaking down food. While promising, this benefit has not been studied as extensively as its effects on breath freshness.

Supports Overall Oral Health

Maintaining a clean tongue contributes to a healthier oral environment by helping to control bacterial growth and support the balance of the oral microbiome.

Although researchers continue to explore the relationship between oral bacteria and broader health conditions, good oral hygiene remains an important part of reducing the risk of infections and maintaining overall well-being.

Keeps Your Tongue Looking Healthier

A white or coated tongue is often caused by the accumulation of bacteria, food debris, and dead cells. Regular tongue scraping helps remove this buildup, restoring the tongue’s natural pink appearance and giving the mouth a cleaner, healthier look.

Digestion begins in the mouth. Saliva contains enzymes that start breaking down food before it reaches the stomach. Some researchers believe that maintaining a cleaner oral environment may support this process by reducing the number of unwanted bacteria entering the digestive system.

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Some researchers have explored a possible link between oral health and digestive health, though more research is needed to understand whether tongue scraping directly affects gut health.

A Simple Habit Worth Adding to Your Routine

Tongue scraping takes less than a minute, requires minimal effort, and can easily be added to your daily oral care routine. Using a tongue scraper after brushing your teeth each morning can help remove bacteria that accumulate overnight, leaving your mouth feeling cleaner and your breath noticeably fresher.

While it is not a substitute for brushing, flossing, or regular dental visits, tongue scraping is a simple habit that can enhance your oral hygiene routine and provide benefits such as reducing tongue coating, lowering bacterial buildup, and supporting overall oral hygiene

Puente Romano resort has long held its ground as one of Europe’s most celebrated gastronomic addresses. With more than twenty restaurants and bars spread across its whitewashed Andalusian village-style grounds, the Marbella property draws discerning travelers as much for its food as for its sunshine, and this week it fully delivered on that reputation.

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Nearly 300 guests gathered at La Plaza for the second edition of Culinary Icons, the resort’s annual food event, enjoying an afternoon of live cooking, tastings, and stories from the chefs behind the dishes. The event was opened by resort owner Daniel Shamoon, who has long-standing ties with several of the chefs present. He brought Nobu Matsuhisa to Spain in 2017 to open the country’s first Nobu restaurant, followed by the hotel in 2018. A young Dani García also once worked in the resort’s kitchens under his supervision.

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Five celebrated chefs took to the stage, Nobu Matsuhisa, Izu Ani, Dani García, Yiannis Kioroglou and Albert Adrià. Four of them are already part of the resort’s culinary offering through their permanent restaurants. The fifth, Albert Adrià, brought the afternoon to a fitting close with dessert.

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Each chef presented a dish that reflected years of experience and a distinct culinary perspective. Nobu Matsuhisa served tuna tataki tosazu and seabass kombujime oshi sushi. The tuna was lightly seared, the seabass delicate, each bite subtle but distinct. Izu Ani who built his culinary reputation in Dubai and runs several restaurants in Dubai, including GAIA, followed with a Salt Crusted King Crab, a dish that made its presence felt immediately. Dani García presented his signature Nitro Tomato with green gazpacho and Motril shrimps, a plate closely associated with his approach to contemporary Spanish cuisine and one that traces its origins to the resort more than 20 years ago. Representing the French Riviera, Yiannis Kioroglou served Rigatoni aux Truffes alongside a Caviar Pissaladière. Adrià rounded off the evening with two distinctive desserts: the Cork Stopper, a dessert resembling a wine cork, made with meticulous care, paired with a chocolate-and-yuzu waffle that mixes dark chocolate and zesty yuzu.

Drinks throughout the afternoon were led by SIPS Barcelona, currently on a three-month summer residency at Bar La Plaza, a fitting pairing, given its status as World’s Best Bar. Proceeds from the event went to the Spanish Red Cross in support of its humanitarian work.

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Dubai travelers who want to make the most of the Eid al-Adha break often look beyond simple rest, choosing destinations that offer both privacy and a deeper sense of renewal.

Each of these five destinations delivers that experience in its own distinct way .

RxV Wellness Village, Thailand

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Chiang Mai has long attracted a certain kind of traveler, one who arrives seeking change and leaves with a noticeably different sense of self. RxV Wellness Village leans into that with Thai herbal therapies, guided yoga, and halal farm-to-table meals that reflect the surrounding landscape . It is a retreat in the original sense of the word. Villas start at approximately AED 3,500 per night, with a six-hour flight from Dubai.

Six Senses Rome, Italy

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Six Senses Rome occupies a restored palazzo and manages the difficult trick of feeling ancient and contemporary at the same time. The spa draws from Roman thermal bathing traditions; the rooftop dining overlooks the city’s skyline. Suites with views of the The Colosseum is the kind of landmark guests find themselves talking about for years afterward. Eid packages typically start from around AED 7,000 per night, with a direct flight time of roughly six hours.

Adare Manor, Ireland

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Adare Manor sits on a vast County Limerick estate and operates with a quiet seriousness about hospitality that suits a long holiday weekend well. The activities; falconry, championship golf, countryside walks are the sort that fill a day. Halal dining can be arranged in advance for guests observing Eid. Suites begin at approximately AED 5,500 per night, with a roughly seven-hour flight from Dubai.

Cheval Blanc Randheli, Maldives

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The Maldives fits Eid the same way it suits almost any escape, stripping everything down to water, sky, and silence, cheval Blanc Randheli adds private overwater villas, dedicated butler service and beach dining setups that the property tailors for Eid celebrations. At four hours from Dubai, it is also the most accessible long-haul option on this list. Villas ranges from AED 13,600–19,200 per night.

Zaiter Fida, Lebanon

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At under an hour’s regional flight from Dubai, Lebanon is the easy choice here. Zaiter Fida makes a case for it beyond convenience. Zaiter Fida makes a case for it beyond convenience.

For travelers who prioritize depth of experience over distance, it delivers exactly that. Rooms start from approximately AED 740–1,400 per night.

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