Thinking about doing crossword puzzles to keep your mind sharp? Forget it. Scientists are now saying that keeping your mouth clean could help stave off Alzheimer’s disease (AD).
In the study, the scientists compared the brains and spinal fluids of deceased people who had characteristic pathology of AD but no diagnosis (control group) to those who had a clinical diagnosis.
In the AD brains and spinal fluids, the researchers found P. gingivalis DNA as well as higher levels of toxic enzymes called gingipains compared to the control group. Gingipains are produced by P. gingivalis and work to suppress the host’s defense system, thereby helping the infection to spread and damage surrounding cells.
The team also found strong relationships between levels of gingipains and two other molecules: tau, a protein important for normal brain function, and ubiquitin, a small protein that tags damaged proteins for degradation. Both have been linked to AD.
Previous studies had found links between P. gingivalis and AD, but scientists weren’t sure if the gum disease was just a consequence of the disease. However, with this finding, they realized that the infection is an early-stage event, and believe that if the people in the control group had lived longer to allow for the gingipains to accumulate, they also would have developed AD.
The researchers then infected the mouths of otherwise healthy mice with P. gingivalis every other day for 6 weeks. They found that the bacteria not only invaded the brains of all the mice, but also caused a significant increase in the levels of amyloid beta, a component of the amyloid plaques found in brains of patients with AD and killed certain nerve cells.
Since P. gingivalis is resistant to most antibiotics, the team wanted to test the effects of compounds that target gingipains instead. In the mice that received the treatments, they noticed that the compounds killed off much of the bacteria and had protective effects on neurons in the memory region of the brain, which is primarily affected by AD.
It is important to remember that while the research results are certainly exciting, they do not show that a P. gingivalis infection causes AD. Diseases like AD are extremely complex and can have many different causes. This research shows that P. gingivalis may just increase the risk of AD.
The researchers also didn’t determine the strains of P. gingivalis they found in the brain and spinal fluid. More research would be needed to determine if certain strains are more likely to cause AD.
What Can You Do?
P. gingivalis can also be found in low levels in healthy people, who can get it from common activities such as brushing, flossing, and getting dental procedures.
However, we believe there is one important thing you can do to reduce your risk of an infection, and that is to clean your tongue.
Your tongue is the habitat of a large variety of plaque-forming and disease-causing microorganisms, including P. gingivalis.
Research has shown that the most effective way to clean your tongue is to use a tongue scraper. When used over time, tongue scraping can reduce the number of bacteria on your tongue, leading not only to better breath, but also possibly reducing your risk of AD.
So what are you waiting for? Grab your Tongue Scraper today from ScrapeYourTongue.com. Your future self will thank you.
1) The longest tongue on record is 3.86 inches
2) The widest tongue was 3.1 inches at it's widest point
3) Women have shorter tongues than men. The longest female tongue was 2.76 inches
4) Thomas Blackstone holds the world record for the strongest tongue. He lifted a 24 lb 3oz. weight that was hooked through his tongue.
5) The Blue Whale has the largest tongue in the Animal Kingdom. It is the size of an elephant and weighs 5,400 lbs.
6) The 5 known tastes detected by taste buds are: Bitter, Sour, Salty, Sweet, and Umami
7) Tongue cleaning with a tongue scraper is proven to help prevent heat attacks, pneumonia, premature births, diabetes, osteoporosis, and infertility in men.
8) The saying "cat got your tongue" originated 2,500 years ago in ancient Assyria where conquered soldiers and criminals had their tongues cut out and fed to the king's cat.
9) because it comes in different shapes and can have a variable number of taste buds, the human tongue imprint is as unique as a fingerprint.
10) The hardest tongue twister in the English language is "The sixth sick sheikh's sixth sheep's sick."
11) It takes 25,000 more molecules to determine the taste of something than it does to smell it.
12) Taste buds only react to chemicals that dissolve in water. This is why we get salty tastes first because salt dissolves rapidly.
13) There are more than 600 different types of bacteria in the mouth and a milliliter of saliva contains 1,000,000 of them.
14) The average person has 10,000 taste buds, with 2,000 of those under the tongue, inside the cheeks, on the roof of the mouth, and on the lips.
15) A single taste bud contains 50-100 taste cells. While one cell can have multiple types of sensors for taste, no single cell can identify both sweet and biter.
16) Contrary to popular belief, tests on identical twins have proven that the ability to roll one's tongue into a tube shape is not a genetic trait.
And now you know. So keep that tongue clean by scraping daily with our incredible Tongue Scraper from ScrapeYourTongue™
Doesn’t matter who you are, when you first heard the concept of Tongue Scraping you probably thought it was disgusting. It is pretty darn disguising, but not for your initial reasoning - you thought it was nasty because you didn’t want to see all of that weird stuff come off your tongue. Well that doesn’t make much sense because not scraping that gunk out, just leaves it seeped in your tongue - having a bacteria party.
Let’s take a step back and think about how the mouth is the largest and most important opening into our bodies. We need to keep that area clean in order to protect everything else that’s going on inside. Once we understand that the mouth is important to protect, then we have to consider the fact that the tongue is the absolute largest object in the mouth and it loves to suck up all the bacteria you send its way.
The simplest way to clean your tongue is to brush it with your toothbrush. We, at ScrapeYourTongue™, highly suggest brushing your tongue - it’s a great first step, but shouldn’t be the last. For some people brushing the tongue isn’t too comfortable because it tends to set off the gag reflex.
That’s why we invented our Tongue Scraper so you can thoroughly scrape it clean and not have to gag in the process.
Here are the simple three steps to cleaning your tongue with our Tongue Scraper:
1) Hold scraper at both end and bend into an upside-down 'U' shape
2) Place scraper on the back of your tongue w/ ridges pointing down
3) Push back & forth a few times, rinse it, and repeat every morning & night
The best part about tongue scraping is that it only takes a few seconds each day and it makes a world of a difference for your overall health and well-being. These days - it’s never been more important to start implementing simple preventative health measures. So start Tongue Scraping today with ScrapeYourTongue™!
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Any form of cleaning your tongue is fantastic for your overall health, but some methods are much more effective than others. While brushing your tongue is a great start, here are a few reasons why scraping is better:
1) Gag Reflex
We all know how uncomfortable it is to brush the tongue with a toothbrush - one wrong move and you've got throw up all over the sink. With our ScrapeYourTongue Tongue Scraper you have more control because you're holding it with both hands and not moving anything back and forth into your mouth, rather you are bending the scraper so it easily gets to the back of your tongue.
3) Physics
Your teeth are hard, so they need a soft surface like the bristles on your toothbrush to clean them. Your tongue is soft and needs something hard like a plastic tongue scraper to move down and scoop up any bacteria that is hanging out there.
Also, please don't use the "tongue scraper" on the back of some tooth brushes. That literally does nothing and should not be correlated to tongue scraping. Get a proper Tongue Scraper from ScrapeYourTongue.com and see the difference today!
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1) Scrape Your Tongue - I bet you probably spend more time cleaning your ass than your tongue. Think about that! Your tongue is the largest organ in your mouth. You need to care for it like you care for your iPhone. Another crazy thing that tongue scraping does is it allows for your body to produce more Nitric Oxide which helps blood circulation in your body which allows your lungs and immune system to be healthier which could help fight off any viruses coming your way. Moral of the story - scrape your tongue every morning and night and you'll see an incredible effect on your breath and your health.
2) STOP smoking - all of that smoke and nicotine residue seeps into the pores of your tongue. Then they throw a big bacteria party and release nasty odors into the air. Usually the people around you are the victims, but now it’s all coming back to you while you wear a mask. Realistically, at this point if you’re still smoking then you probably don’t really care for the smell - but did you know that smokers are more likely to get COVID 19. The WHO says that tobacco smoking is a known risk factor for many respiratory infections and increases the severity of respiratory disease. If there was ever a time to put down the JUUL or the cigarette then it is now. Just do it.
3) Eat your Fruits & Veggies - If you’re staying home and not eating out during these times then you should be stocking up on healthy fruits and vegetables to snack on throughout the day. Delta Dental says that these foods step up your saliva flow between meals to help wash away bacteria in your mouth that can cause bad breath. If you’re eating fruits and veggies then you’re probably staying away from naughty foods that can do harm to your body. Your diet is a key factor to the health of your immune system. Eat healthy and you’ll be healthy!
There are plenty of other ways to prevent bad breath and help fight off viruses during a world wide pandemic, but we wanted to pick the 3 easiest ones that you can literally start doing today. If you don’t already have it, then you can order our Tongue Scraper off Amazon and it’ll arrive tomorrow. You can stop smoking this very second. You can go toss out all the unhealthy food in your pantry and get healthy fruits and vegetables today. Enjoy!
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Developing a good morning routine seems to be all the rage these days. From entrepreneurs to stay-at-home moms to college professors, everyone seeks to increase their daily productivity, and having a great morning routine is a proven way to do so.
There are hundreds, if not thousands, of possible things you can include in your personal routine. Every person’s morning routine is different, but here are three things we highly recommend including to get the best start to your day.
No, we’re not trying to sound like your mom (although she did have the right idea). But really, you should make your bed every morning. If you want to increase productivity, this tiny habit is the one you should start with.
Now, you may be asking, “Why? Who cares about my bed? And what does making my bed have to do with my productivity?”
Retired Navy SEAL commander William H. McRaven, who oversaw the execution of the special ops raid that killed Osama bin Laden, has the answer to that. In his book, 'Make Your Bed', McRaven writes that it is important to start your day with a simple task completed. A small accomplishment within the first minutes of your day will increase your sense of pride and motivate you to complete other tasks.
“If you can’t do the little things right, you’ll never be able to do the big things right,” McRaven said to the graduates of University of Texas at Austin in 2014.
So take the 30 seconds every morning and make your bed - your mom will be proud.
Think about this: While you sleep, your body is hard at work detoxifying of harmful bacteria, toxins, food debris, dead cells, and fungi -- and depositing them on your tongue. And by not cleaning your tongue the first thing in the morning, you are likely reabsorbing that sludge.
They don’t call it morning breath for no reason.
If the bacteria and toxins aren’t removed, they can cause tooth decay, bad breath, digestive issues, and a poor immune system among other problems. Brushing and flossing your teeth are no-brainers when it comes to a morning routine, but they aren’t enough. if you want a super fresh start to your day and give a boost to your immune system, scrape your tongue!
Tongue scrapers have been clinically shown to be significantly more effective at removing bacteria compared to simply brushing your tongue with a toothbrush. So do yourself (and everyone else) a favor and include tongue scraping in your morning routine.
Neuroscientists believe that humans can have an average of 50,000 to 70,000 thoughts per day, meaning anywhere between 35 and 48 thoughts per minute, every single day.
Even more astounding - between 70 to 80% of those thoughts are negative. It’s no wonder most people fail to achieve their goals. If you’re one of the majority who make the same resolutions year after year, Morning Pages might be the solution for you.
The idea of Morning Pages was developed by author Julia Cameron, who described the practice as “three pages of longhand, stream of consciousness writing, done first thing in the morning.” Cameron writes that there is no right or wrong way to do Morning Pages, nor should you put too much thought into them. Just write anything and everything that crosses your mind.
Many people who do Morning Pages claim that it has been a life-changing experience. Some of the common benefits include less anxiety, more productivity, clarity of mind, more creativity, less negativity, less fear, and brighter mood. Your journal can also help you stay focused on accomplishing your goals.
The key to developing a successful morning routine is to take things slowly. Wake up 15-30 minutes earlier than your normal time, and focus on completing just a few tasks in the beginning so you won’t get overwhelmed. Be sure to keep track of your morning routine in a journal and don’t hesitate to change anything that doesn’t work for you.
]]>If you’ve ever stubbed your toe or had a pimple, you’re probably familiar with a few of the symptoms of inflammation — tissue redness, swelling, pain, and heat. As a part of your body’s natural immune response, inflammation helps your body heal wounds and fight off infection from pathogens like viruses and bacteria.
Why, then, does inflammation get such a bad rap?
Research studies in recent years have shown that inflammation is a contributor in many, if not all, diseases including cancer, type 2 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, etc. But the effects of inflammation are not limited to bodily disorders — a growing body of evidence has provided fascinating new insights into how inflammation can affect the brain.
For decades, doctors and scientists were taught that there was an impermeable brain between the brain and the immune system called the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Think of the BBB as something like the brain’s Berlin Wall — it was believed that this “wall” kept the cells and proteins of the body’s immune system from reaching the brain.
It is now clear that this is wrong.
Certain proinflammatory molecules called cytokines are known to be able to cross the BBB and produce effects that lead to neuronal dysfunction and cell death. Specifically, scientists were able to localize the effect to the parts of the brain known to be involved in depression and other psychiatric disorders.
This gives hope to some. If inflammation can cause depression, then anti-inflammatory drugs should be able to prevent or treat depression. And results from early studies have been encouraging, with patients who were treated with anti-inflammatory drugs having improved mental health scores. However, more studies will need to be done to test anti-inflammatory drugs as antidepressants.
These new insights go beyond depression or drugs. Pharmaceutical companies in testing anti-inflammatory drugs for various neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, and interest in risk factors and drug-free interventions for controlling low-grade inflammation has skyrocketed.
One of the most interesting risk factors for chronic inflammation — at least, in our humble opinion — is periodontitis, also known as low-grade gum inflammation. Several studies have identified high levels of Porphyromonas gingivalis, the key bacteria responsible for chronic periodontitis, in patients with Alzheimer’s disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and other systemic disorders.
But if you think you can prevent periodontitis and other disorders simply by brushing your teeth regularly, think again.
The anatomical features of the tongue surface create reservoirs for pathogenic bacteria like P. gingivalis, and the tongue is also less susceptible to oral health care practices. Simply put, the key to fighting inflammation could be to keep your tongue clean.
You won’t need fancy gadgets to clean your tongue. Nope — research shows that the most effective way to get all those nasty, disease-causing bacteria off your tongue is to use a tongue scraper. A 100% recyclable plastic tongue scraper is available for just $4 (or just $1 with a monthly subscription) from ScrapeYourTongue.com. Its unique design allows you to cover the entire surface area of the tongue with a single scrape — all without setting off your gag reflex.
As scientists continue to explore inflammation, it’s becoming clear that the mind and the body are deeply connected. This new perspective has the potential to transform the way we think about depression and other mental illnesses.
But you don’t have to wait for more research to start taking better care of yourself. If you want to reduce inflammation in your body, there’s no easier way to start than to scrape your tongue.]]>
Several species of bacteria that cause periodontitis (gum infection) have been found in the atherosclerotic plaque in arteries of the heart and elsewhere. When the plaque builds up it can lead to a heart attack.
Harvard University also believes that the toxins released by this oral bacteria could harm blood vessels or cause blood clots. In addition, any inflammation of the mouth, which can be caused by bacteria, can increase inflammation throughout the body, including in the arteries - increasing the risk of a heart attack or stroke.
Daily Tongue Scraping is an easy way to reduce the bacteria, lower levels of inflammation, and possibly prevent any infection from taking place.
Try the #1 Daily Tongue Scraper at ScrapeYourTongue.com.
]]>As exciting as all of that is, however, going to college can also be daunting. You’ll be away from the home you’ve known for most of your life, and if you’re going to a school in another state, there’s a good chance you won’t know anyone.
Getting into college is tough. Making new friends and adjusting to a new environment is tough. But packing for your dorm shouldn’t be. Here are 4 items you will want to take to make the most out of your college years.
Look, you’ll be meeting a lot of new people in college. And your parents were right: first impressions are lasting impressions. And you only have one chance to make a first impression. So why would you want to be anything less than the best version of yourself?
One way to almost guarantee a negative first impression is to have bad breath. We all know at least one person with bad breath; you just never want to be known as that person.
Fortunately, it’s super easy to prevent bad breath. Brush your teeth, floss, and add a mouth rinse to your oral hygiene routine. But don’t forget your tongue! Most of the odor-causing bacteria reside on the back of your tongue, which means you should clean your tongue.
The most effective way to clean off all of that nasty business is to scrape your tongue. Our tongue scrapers are super affordable, even on a college student’s budget. Check it out and get yours for just $1!
Don’t be known as the person with the stinky breath. Scrape your tongue.
Despite what the title says, this book is not a lonely person’s guide to making more friends. Instead, it’s about learning how to become a leader. Yup, you read that right. College is the perfect time to start working on building your leadership skills.
So what are some tips Dale Carnegie writes about in his book? When it comes to handling people, Carnegie recommends these techniques:
These tips might not sound “revolutionary,” and you’re right. They’re universally understood, but that means they’re also forgettable. Reading How to Win Friends and Influence People will remind you of these simple truths and help you become more conscious of your actions.
Your time in college can be some of the best years of your life. But you’ll also need to study harder than ever before to keep your GPA in tip-top condition. Unfortunately, studying can be difficult, especially when your roommate is snoring like a congested rhino.
Or perhaps a little bit of quiet is all you want. We don’t blame you.
And that’s where noise-cancelling headphones come in. And while even the best noise-cancelling headphones won’t exactly eliminate noise, they can reduce noise significantly so you can focus on your studies.
Instant noodles are a food staple for any college student. But waiting for water to boil can be a bit like watching paint dry. Traditional stove-top kettles can take up to 8 or 9 minutes to boil four cups of water. That’s pathetic! And then there’s the fact that stove-top kettles can’t stop water from over-boiling, which puts your safety at risk.
You simply don’t have the time for that. For that reason, you should consider getting an electric kettle. Not only can they boil water twice as fast as stove-top kettles, but most have an automatic shut-off function that will prevent water from over-boiling. And if you’re willing to invest a bit more money, some models even have LCD screens that let you monitor the kettle’s progress.
So what are you waiting for? Make the switch to an electric kettle today.
Do you have anything in your dorm you just can’t live without? Let us know in the comments below!
Written by: Hyo Sook Song
We’ve all experienced it before. That feeling in your stomach when you have to make a difficult decision or when you meet the love of your life — it seems like you just know. It’s no wonder that the old saying “I’ve got a gut feeling about this” rings true to this day.
But there may be reason to trust those butterflies in your gut. That’s because your body has a
second brain — in your gut. And while it can’t help you reason through a multiple-choice exam, scientists say that its influence is far-reaching.
This second brain is formally called the enteric nervous system and consists of an intricate network of more than 500 million neurons embedded in the walls of your gut. These neurons are responsible for far more than just digestion; research studies have shown that your second brain can influence your mental health.
So what does all of this mean? It means that your brain can talk to your gut — and your gut talks right back at your brain. Scientists are calling this bidirectional crosstalk the gut-brain axis. And when your gut microbiome is imbalanced, it can spell trouble for your brain.
We all know that we should brush and floss our teeth every day, but that might not be enough. Research findings indicate that you should focus on reducing the bacterial load by mechanical procedures, such as tongue scraping.
This approach is especially important if you have a thick white coating on your tongue in the morning, which indicates that there may be something deeper going on in your gut.
Tongue scraping can reduce the foul-smelling volatile sulfur compounds produced by P. gingivalis by up to 75% after 1 week.
We take your mental health seriously. That’s why we want to make it super easy for you to take care of yourself. Get your Tongue Scraper today so you can start living a more positive life!
Written by: Hyo Sook Song
]]>No matter how old you are, going to the dentist can be downright scary. And for most of us, avoiding the dentist is a good enough reason to practice good oral hygiene. That and making sure your breath doesn’t knock out your loved ones, of course.
But let’s be honest. Flossing can be pretty annoying, if not time-consuming. And that may be why only 30% of Americans floss daily. One analysis found that nearly a third of Americans flat-out don’t floss. Period. That statistic is similar to the percentage of the population that doesn’t brush enough.
Gross. If you fall into either (or both) of the categories, there may now be an even bigger reason to start taking care of your mouth: cancer.
According to a presentation given at the American Association for Cancer Research annual meeting earlier this year, researchers at the Ohio State University studied the dental health behaviors of patients who were diagnosed with oral cancer compared to those of non-cancer patients.
Every participant in the study responded to a survey that asked questions about their flossing habits, the regularity of their dentist visits, their sexual activity, and their smoking or drinking habits.
After adjusting for various factors such as age, gender, socioeconomic status, and race, the researchers found that poor oral hygiene was associated with a significantly increased risk of non-human papilloma virus (HPV) oral cancer.
Specifically, patients visited their dentist less than once a year had twice the risk of developing non-HPV oral cancer compared to non-cancer patients. The data for flossing were similar — people who flossed more than once a day were half as likely to develop oral cancer as those who flossed less than once a day.
Although the cause for the link between poor oral hygiene and oral cancer is unclear, scientists believe that the oral microbiome likely has something to do with it. In previous studies, the same team found that poor oral hygiene practices cause a shift in the oral microbiome into one that promotes chronic inflammation.
And if there’s one type of disease that’s well known for its association chronic inflammation, it’s cancer.
The research findings show correlation, but not causation. This means that more research will be required before we can definitively say an imbalanced oral microbiome causes cancer.
Still, cancer prevention is just one of the many reasons to take care of your mouth, and that means going beyond your normal brushing and flossing. That’s right — you need to clean your tongue. That’s because a major source of bad breath is actually the back of your tongue, where a bacterial coating harbors nasty organisms and debris that contribute to bad breath.
And if you want to clean your tongue properly, you need a tongue scraper. Using one will remove that slimy film of bad bacteria at the back of your tongue, which will give the good bacteria a chance to grow.
The good news is that it takes less than 10 seconds. Interested? Try our tongue scraper for just $1. It'll keep you healthy, so you can focus on more important things.
Written by: Hyo Sook Song
]]>It’s 2019 baby! This year, we're gonna help take your health goals one step further and make 2019 your healthiest year ever. How? By showing you the best ways to clean your butt & mouth...and have fun doing it.
Yup, and we’re not pulling things out of our asses, either. There is evidence that certain oral bacteria may cause or worsen intestinal diseases like irritable bowel disease. They can contribute or cause sinus infections, tooth decay, heart disease, and stinky breath.
And brushing your tongue may not be good enough to get all that bad bacteria off your tongue. Tongue scrapers are much more effective, and ScrapeYourTongue.com is on a mission to get one in every bathroom across the world.
ScrapeYourTongue.com’s Tongue Scrapers are not only easy to use and carry around, but they’re super affordable, too, at $3 each (or $1/month for a monthly subscription). Who could resist a cleaner mouth at that price? (Plus, we think it’s kind of fun to see all that nastiness come off our tongues…)