With oil pulling now de rigueur among wellness enthusiasts, the beauty and wellness industry has been on the hunt for the next arcane ayurvedic practice to resurrect for modern consumers—and the hunt may be over.
Tongue scraping, a lesser-known ayurvedic detoxification method often done in conjunction with oil pulling, has been getting a lot of lip service lately as consumers and retailers open up to its purported benefits, including fresher breath, improved taste, whiter teeth, and diminished plaque and tooth decay. It’s performed with a tool frequently made from metals such as stainless steel and copper that’s designed to remove oral bacteria and debris from inside the mouth. From an ayurvedic perspective, the results of tongue scraping go far beyond the oral cavity to maintaining full-body wellbeing.
“We’ve been selling them for decades, [but] we are definitely seeing a pickup in tongue scrapers,” says Anthony Qaiyum, president of Chicago-based Merz Apothecary and its online arm Smallflower. A devoted tongue scraper, he continues, “More people of all ages are coming in talking about it. Younger people seem to be more attuned to the concept, and its more of an easy sell. People are getting wiser about good ways to take care of themselves that aren’t waiting until you have a problem. For most people, the tongue scraper will have benefits that are immediate and preventive.”
Tongue cleaner manufacturers are sharing in the rewards from the uptick in consumer interest. “The response has been great,” reports Jen Chabot, marketing and sales associate for eco-friendly personal care company Preserve, which has been manufacturing a plastic tongue cleaner for over 15 years. ‘In recent years, interest has certainly increased, along with being in more retailers, on more e-commerce sites and also in our own online store. We’re very happy with the reception the product has received.” The brand’s chief retail partner is Whole Foods, and Chabot discloses it sells 110 cases per month or 16,000 tongue cleaner units per year at the grocer.
Dr. Tung’s markets the bestselling tongue cleaner on Amazon, and the number-one tongue scraper in the natural industry, according to Vicki Toews, a customer service manager at the company. The brand, available currently in 4,000-plus retailers worldwide, notably Whole Foods, Pharmaca, Sprouts and Merz, where it’s responsible for the bestselling tongue scraper, has sold more than 2 million tongue scrapers since its founding twenty years ago. Since its launch, Dr. Tung’s has expanded its oral hygiene offerings to encompass floss, an oil-based gum treatment, ionic toothbrushes and more, but the tongue cleanser remains its star product—and its sales are growing.
“We now sell about four to five times more in a year compared with 10 years ago,” says Toews. The heightened sales are supported by increased consumer awareness. Toews details, “I’ve been to Expo West twice. The first year I was there, people would be like, ‘What is that?’ They’re looking at the tongue cleaner and didn’t even know what it was. [The next year] they’re like, ‘I’ve heard of it. My friend is using one.'” The number of people reaching out to the brand via social media to collaborate is surging in tandem with sales. Toews says, “The word is out there.”
When people give the curious-looking tool a go, many become avid loyalists. “Before I started working here, I didn’t use one, I had no idea what they were. [Now] I’m like, ‘Oh my goodness, I can’t believe that I’ve lived my whole life with all that stuff on my tongue,’” says Toews. She elaborates, “People are realizing how important it is to clean your tongue. You’re tongue is like a rug. So, when you brush it [with a toothbrush], you’re not taking anything off. All you’re doing is swirling it around. Beyond getting rid of the bacteria that causes bad breath, there’s more information out about the connection between oral health and your whole body.” Mano Manoharan, founder and managing director of Amano, a U.K.-based manufacturer of surgical steel tongue cleaners, says, “Once you’ve seen what comes off, and you would have left on your tongue if you’d gone to bed, you’re a convert. It was so disgusting and so effective.”
“People are realizing how important it is to clean your tongue. You’re tongue is like a rug. So, when you brush it [with a toothbrush], you’re not taking anything off. All you’re doing is swirling it around. Beyond getting rid of the bacteria that causes bad breath, there’s more information out about the connection between oral health and your whole body.”
To Manoharan, who first produced an all-metal version of Amano’s tongue cleaner in 1992, tongue scraping is nothing new. The natural beauty and wellness pharmacy chain Pharmaca has a long history with tongue scrapers, too. It added a Dr. Tung’s tongue scraper to its assortment in 2009. Today, the retailer carries a tongue cleanser from Preserve as well. Margaret Allen, over-the-counter buyer for Pharmaca, says, “The customer response is still going strong. Between the two brands we carry, we sell more than 2,000 tongue cleaners a year.”
Leah Kirpalani, founder of San Diego clean beauty store Shop Good, was exposed to tongue scraping during an eight-year battle against a slew of health issues. “Between the countless doctors seen, books read and blogs scoured, I learned my gut was in terrible shape. I was open to anything that would help me feel better, but also was in need of healing tools that were quick and effective, given my busy lifestyle,” she recounts. “I discovered that tongue scraping was proven to stimulate digestive organs and gently cleanse the body of harmful bacteria. It was a 10-second wellness habit I was able to fit into my schedule, and one that provided immediate results.”
Kirpalani has stocked a metal tongue scraper from Banyan Botanicals since Shop Good opened its doors in October of last year. “When we first opened the shop, tongue scrapers were a must-have on our wellness shelves,” she says. Her passion for the product paid off. Customer response to the unusual item has been overwhelmingly positive. Kirpalani says, “We turn over units quickly. The price point is approachable at only $10 and, when our product experts communicate the many benefits of this simple tool, paired with the low-time commitment, it’s a no-brainer purchase.”
Shop Good sells more tongue scrapers in-store than online, where customers tend to scroll past a tool they don’t recognize. “The in-person conversation with our in-shop experts definitely helps to remove any intimidation, lack of clarity in how to use, and really helps to relay the incredible benefits of tongue scraping,” says Kirpalani. “This is a fun opportunity for our team to educate around the oral/gut connection. Many customers are surprised at how easy it is to include tongue scraping into their beauty and wellness routine along with it’s powerful ability to support both digestion and skin health.”
“I discovered that tongue scraping was proven to stimulate digestive organs and gently cleanse the body of harmful bacteria. It was a 10-second wellness habit I was able to fit into my schedule, and one that provided immediate results.”
Black Chicken Remedies founder Chey Birch noticed luxury consumers’ appetite for tongue scrapers at the latest installment of Indie Beauty Media Group’s ShopTheExpo at Neiman Marcus’ NorthPark Center store. Among around 15 products, the brand brought its Cuprum Tongue Cleaner and Oral Swishing Oil to the event at the upscale department store. “It was amazing. I sold out of both,” reveals Birch. Black Chicken Remedies introduced the Cuprum Tongue Cleaner in the beginning of this year, and the item has spread to 200 stores globally. Birch says, “People are getting more involved in their overall wellness journey and the tongue is the gateway to wellness.”
Amano recently launched a titanium tongue cleaner priced at 48 pounds or nearly $63 at the current exchange rate. The brand’s steel version with artsy plastic handles sells for $18, already a lofty price for tongue scrapers. Black Chicken’s tongue scraper retails for $12. Scrapers from Banyan Botanicals and Dr. Tung’s are $8, and Preserve charges $3 to $5 for plastic tongue cleaners.
Manoharan argues the titanium tongue cleaner’s considered design justifies its price tag. “Yes, you could go for the cheap and cheerful that needs to be replaced every three to six months, but, I think, for a retailer selling to upmarket customers, you have to overcome the gag fear,” he says, citing a recent study of tongue scrapers in Holland showing a correlation between the comfort and efficiency of the tool. “If you think when you put it to the back of your mouth, you’re going to wrench, you’re not going to do it, you’re not really gonna get the full benefit. So, a well-designed, suitably weighted [tool] to withstand the power of the tongue to drag the thing back into your mouth will overcome the fear and, therefore, you’re actually creating a more pleasant experience.”
Manoharan is bullish on the future for tongue cleaners in the U.K. and U.S. “In the Western world, 95% percent of people brush their teeth, something like 15% floss, 20% to 25% use mouthwash. In the U.K., they spend a billion pounds on oral-care products. It [is a] multiple of 10 probably for the U.S.,” he figures. “There’s a huge market there that will potentially want tongue scrape.”
Takeaways
- Tongue scraping or cleaning, an ayurvedic detoxification method, has been gaining traction with health-conscious consumers. In ayurvedic medicine, oral health is inextricable linked to overall body health.
- Health-conscious consumers were introduced to alternative oral-care practices with oil pulling. Tongue scraping takes their oral-care reinvention a step further.
- Many brands and retailers selling tongue scrapers have been in the tongue-scraping business for a long time, but have recently noticed consumer awareness of the practice rising.
- Most tongue cleaners are metal, but plastic models are also available. Prices range from $3 for Preserve’s plastic T-shaped model to almost $63 for Amano’s 100% titanium model. Most metal tongue scrapers retail for $8 to $10.
- Usually an item sold in health food stores or bought off Amazon, more upscale retailers are stocking the oral-care tool, and sales appear to be on the upswing.
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