Ayurveda recommends brushing your teeth regularly for good health. During ancient times, Indians used the twigs of specific plants and trees as toothbrushes, and the tradition is still followed in many places. If you compare the oral hygiene of people using ancient brushing methods to that of people using toothpaste and toothbrush, you will notice a vast difference. Here are a few ways in which Ayurveda ensures oral hygiene.
1. Gargle with warm sesame oil
To beautify your teeth and gums, gargle with warm, organic, unrefined sesame oil (organic like this one ideally), then hold it in your mouth for one minute before expelling it. Next, apply some oil to your index finger and gently massage your gums. This whole process (the swishing and massaging) is called kavala. It can prevent cavities and soothe an impacted wisdom tooth, receding gums, and sensitive teeth.
2. Use a tongue scraper
In ancient ayurvedic literature, the tongue is called the organ of taste, speech, and cognition (karmendriya). Tongue scraping is called jihva nirlekhana and it provides a host of benefits. To begin with, your tongue contains hundreds of taste buds that process six different tastes: sweet, sour, salty, bitter, pungent, and astringent. Gentle tongue scraping activates all of these taste buds and releases the six different tastes in your blood. (And that’s a good thing.) In addition, the tongue is associated with the thyroid, lungs, heart, kidneys, stomach, and colon. By scraping the tongue, you not only maintain a healthy mouth, but on a subtle level, you also maintain healthy viscera. Plus, jihva nirlekhana removes ama (toxins) and dead bacteria, improves the flavor of your food, reduces bad breath, and clears your mind.
So, how do you do it? Using a stainless steel tongue scraper, gently scrape the entire tongue from the back forward for 7 to 14 strokes every morning, and observe the benefits for yourself.
3. Use herbal toothpaste
According to ayurveda, sweet toothpastes cause a thickening of the saliva and an increase in its calcium content, which can lead to tartar formation. And too much fluoride or baking soda can erode the gums. The best toothpaste is bitter and astringent, made with herbs such as neem, triphala, cinnamon, clove, fennel, babool, and pilu. You can find herbal toothpastes online and at Indian grocery stores.
4. Eat sesame seeds
Problems with your teeth are often related to a deficiency of calcium, magnesium, and zinc. To compensate and to prevent future problems chew a handful of mineral-rich white sesame seeds (roasted or toasted) every morning before breakfast. Then brush your teeth with plain water so the residue of the sesame seeds can rub against your teeth, polishing and cleaning them.
5. Chew on licorice root
Licorice cleanses the mouth, promotes salivation, and increases secretions in the gastrointestinal tract. Chewing on licorice root will clean the mouth and cleanse the teeth, halting tooth decay.
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