Tongue scraping videos are making the rounds on TikTok again and the hashtag tongue scraping has racked up over 113 million views, with many claiming that it’s an essential part of dental hygiene and the secret to fixing bad breath. But what is it exactly?

“Tongue scraping is when you use a scraping tool to remove a coating or residue that builds up over time on the tongue,” explains Dr Reena Wadia, an oral health expert and gum specialist.

We all have bacteria on our tongue. “The tongue is made up of lots of crypts, cracks and irregular surfaces so is an ideal site for the growth of bugs and bacteria,” says Wadia. In fact, according to a study by Registered Dental Hygienist (RDH) magazine, you can have around 20 billion in your mouth at any given time. Of course, some of this bacteria actually helps to create a healthy environment in your mouth but some can be the cause a bad odour.

“These bacteria can produce things which taste and smell foul,” says Wadia. “Halitosis or bad breath can be defined as an offensive breath odour. The two biggest causes of oral malodour include tongue coating and gum disease.”

TikTok’s viral tongue scraping trend: what are the benefits and should we all be doing it?