Looking for the very best tongue scraper? Wondering whether a tongue cleaner even makes a difference?
It’s great that you’re thinking about it carefully.
Oral hygienist Ramona Petri strongly warns against mechanically scraping your tongue.
Some tongue cleaners can damage the delicate surface of your tongue, especially if used too firmly or if they have sharp edges.
This can lead to irritation, altered taste, and even damage to the nerve endings in your taste buds.
“Aggressive tongue cleaners, especially those with bristles, can irritate the tongue’s surface and lead to damage of the nerve endings in your taste buds.” (Source) I (Source)
The photo below clearly shows tissue damage from a tongue cleaner with harsh bristles.
You might think: “Then I’ll just use a flat metal scraper.”
It’s worth a try.
While a flat tongue scraper (without bristles) is gentle on your tongue, it lacks the depth needed to truly remove stubborn coating.
If you were to look at your tongue under a microscope, you’d see that a flat scraper doesn’t reach all the areas in between the rough tissue.
This is what your tongue looks like under a microscope:
So what really works?
Fortunately, there are safer and more effective alternatives that can clean deeply without damaging the surface of your tongue.
Tested: Top 5 Best Products for a Clean Tongue
Test method: how we tested the products
Our editorial team compared several products for tongue coating removal.
Every morning, right after waking up — the time when our tongues have the thickest layer of coating — a new product was tested.
To measure the effect, we used a Halimeter®: an expensive, professional medical device also used in hospitals to detect sulphur gases from the tongue.
These sulphur gases — such as methyl mercaptan and hydrogen sulphide — are produced by accumulated tongue coating and are the main causes of bad breath.
This is what the Halimeter® looks like:
The participants breathed into a tube connected to the device.
The fewer sulphur gases (in PPB – parts per billion), the cleaner the tongue, and the fresher the breath.
Which products reduce tongue coating the most? Which deliver the lowest PPB values?
Here’s our top 5 list of proven products for a cleaner tongue — the manufacturer of Bergenfeld® serum left us most impressed.
Nummer 1: Bergenfeld® Tongue Clean Serum = Best in Test
By far the most effective solution for a clean tongue is Bergenfeld®’s unique tongue serum. From the very first use, it removes tongue coating and neutralises sulphur gases.
Halimeter® measurements showed almost no odour remaining after application.
Thanks to advanced DIOXzn™ Technology, the serum penetrates deep into tongue tissue.
Tongue coating is dissolved, and odour-causing compounds are oxidised — much more effective than a scraper, which only cleans the surface and misses hard-to-reach areas.
In the short video above, you can see how DIOXzn™ Technology contributes to a thoroughly clean tongue.
Alcohol-, paraben- and chlorhexidine-free, and gentle on your oral microbiome.
The serum is safe for daily use — swallowing is no problem.
Not satisfied? You get your money back. The manufacturer offers a 100% satisfaction guarantee.
Want the best results and the safest option for your tongue? Click here to see if Bergenfeld® serum is right for you.
2: JuliBrite® Tongue Clean Kit
It’s no coincidence that we have ranked the JuliBrite® Tongue Care Kit second.
After use of the kit, hardly any sulphur was detected — a strong sign of a clean tongue and fresh breath.
Many people opt for a tongue cleaner, in addition to or instead of Bergenfeld® drops.
If you do so, choose this variant of JuliBrite®, a mild tongue cleaner that comes with a disinfectant tongue gel.
The ultra-soft brush head with gentle bristles reaches even the deepest grooves of your tongue without causing irritation.
Three ergonomically designed scrapers, with heights of 1, 2, and 3 millimetres, remove multiple layers of tongue coating in one swift motion.
The massage points help to properly massage a gel or serum into the tongue tissue.
The loosened residue is neatly collected in the integrated gunk collector, which you can easily rinse under the tap.
Are you looking for a more gentle yet effective way to clean your tongue?
3: Ikinora® Oil Pulling Mouthwash
This special mouth oil from Ikinora® laches on to, and removes, the bacterial coating on the tongue: the oil binds to fatty residues like bacteria, food particles, and dead cells on your tongue.
With ingredients like coconut oil and caprylic/capric triglycerides, the coating is gently loosened without damaging your tongue.
The added tea tree oil helps to reduce odour-causing bacteria.
Swish the oil around briefly and then use a tongue scraper to effectively remove the loosened coating.
The result: a visibly cleaner tongue and noticeably fresher breath.
The formula is also all-natural, and the packaging is 100% zero waste.
Curious to see if Ikinora® is right for you? Find out here.
4. XinusActiv® Refreshing Nasal Drops
XinusActiv® nasal drops tested surprisingly well. And that makes sense.
An often underestimated problem is that a lot of tongue coating is caused by mucus, bacteria, and residue from the nasal cavity collecting on the tongue.
Daily cleansing your nose with this formula — consisting of saltwater, hydrating glycerine and hyaluronic acid, antibacterial propolis, and xylitol — greatly reduces the flow of residue.
Xylitol and propolis also inhibit the growth of odour-causing bacteria. So, not only will your nose stay cleaner, your tongue will also remain noticeably fresher and cleaner.
Curious to see if these drops are right for you? Find out here.
5. Oramarie® Probiotic Chewing Gum
This special gum from OraMarie® proves to be uniquely successful for a clean tongue and fresh breath by influencing the balance of bacteria on the tongue.
As you chew, the probiotic strains (Lactobacillus brevis and Lactobacillus plantarum) are released into the mouth.
These good bacteria spread accros the tongue’s surface and displace harmful, odour-causing bacteria simply by taking their place and food source.
As a result, tongue coating — which consists of this biofilm of harmful bacteria— has no chance to build up.
The gum also stimulates saliva production, which helps flush away loose tongue coating and dead cells.
Ingredients like isomalt, sorbitol, and gum arabic ensure a pleasant texture and long-lasting effect without sugar, while BHT and magnesium stearate stabilise and preserve the product.
In short: this gum helps not by scraping, but from within — by actively enriching your tongue’s microbiome with beneficial bacteria that fight tongue coating and bad breath.
Curious to see if OraMarie® Probiotic Chewing Gum is right for you? Find out here.
4 Disadvantages of a coated tongue:
While it is often said that ‘the best tongue cleaner is no tongue cleaner at all,’ it’s still important to clean your tongue daily — for these 4 reasons:
Tongue coating is the leading cause of bad breath that can be detected by those around you, from up to 2 metres away.
A coated tongue produces sulphur compounds that can harm your oral tissues and gums.
If you don’t clean your tongue, your taste buds can become clogged, making you taste less and unknowingly overeat. (Source)
A dirty tongue hinders the production of nitric oxide — an essential molecule for cell renewal and healthy blood vessels. This leads to faster skin aging, a duller complexion, and possibly even a shorter life. (Source)
Frequently Asked Questions About Tongue Scrapers
Yes. Bad breath often comes from sulphur gases in tongue coating. The JuliBrite® scraper removes this coating effectively, especially when used with Bergenfeld® drops, which penetrate deeply and target odour-causing bacteria.
A toothbrush often just pushes the coating further down. The JuliBrite® scraper is designed with soft bristles and three scrapers, lifting multiple layers of tongue coating in one go.
Daily — preferably first thing in the morning. Use 1–2 drops of Bergenfeld® serum beforehand to start loosening coating before scraping.
Not if you use a soft, safe scraper. The JuliBrite® cleaner has an ultra-soft brush head and rounded scrapers, suitable for daily use without irritation.
Plastic or silicone is softer and safer for daily use. JuliBrite®’s ergonomic design features multiple heights for optimal reach — perfect for gentle cleaning.
Yes. Rinse under the tap after each use. JuliBrite®’s integrated “gunk collector” catches loosened residue for easy cleaning.
Absolutely. Cleaning your tongue thoroughly with JuliBrite® and a few drops of Bergenfeld® helps your taste buds function at their best.
Exercise caution with children. You might start by applying just a few Bergenfeld drops to a cotton swab to get used to it, and only later use a soft tongue cleaner under supervision.
Yes. Opt for the JuliBrite® cleaner, specially designed to reach even the deeper grooves of the tongue comfortably and without pain. Preferably, avoid using metal scrapers.
A healthy tongue supports a healthy oral microbiome. Bergenfeld® drops enhance this naturally and help neutralise odour-causing compounds.
Disclaimer
De genoemde producten en ingrediënten ondersteunen de dagelijkse mondhygiëne en kunnen bijdragen aan een schonere tong en frissere adem. Ze zijn echter geen vervanging voor professioneel medisch advies, diagnose of behandeling. Raadpleeg bij aanhoudende klachten, sterke tongverkleuring of chronische slechte adem altijd een arts of tandarts. Resultaten kunnen variëren per persoon. Gebruik producten volgens de aanwijzingen op de verpakking.