Tongue Scraping (Jihva Nirlekhana)

Jihva Nirlekhana refers to the practice of cleaning the tongue to remove the coating formed due to accumulation of impurities and undigested food particles (Ama). Ayurveda strongly advocates tongue scraping as an essential component of daily oral hygiene.

Tongue scraping should be performed using suitable instruments made of metals such as silver, copper, or stainless steel. In the absence of a tongue scraper, soft bristles of a toothbrush or chewed twigs of Neem may also be used carefully.

This practice should ideally be carried out after tooth brushing in the early morning.

Benefits of Tongue Scraping

• Helps in maintaining proper oral hygiene

• Assists in removal of undigested food particles and toxins from the tongue

• Prevents bad breath (Mukha Daurgandhya)

• Enhances the sense of taste (Rasa Jnana)

• Promotes overall oral and digestive health by stimulating digestive enzymes