Ayurveda says that you should brush your teeth regularly to enjoy good health. In the olden times, twigs of some plants and trees to were used in India to brush teeth. Even now some people use twigs as toothbrush. It is seen that people who used twigs to clean their teeth suffered less from dental problems compared to people who use toothpaste and toothbrush.
When twigs were used for cleaning teeth, you do not need any toothpaste as the twigs had medicinal properties that help in cleaning your teeth and keeping your teeth healthy. Chewing the edge of the twig formed bristles and these bristles helped in cleaning the teeth. Chewing these twigs also helped in preventing dental plaque formation.
How to Select Twigs for Teeth Cleaning:
You have to take the twigs of plants that have a bitter, pungent or astringent taste. When the twigs have bitter taste, it means that they have antimicrobial properties. These twigs help in marinating oral hygiene. These twigs also help you to fight bad breath and anorexia. They are very beneficial for awakening your taste buds as well. One common example of bitter tree is the neem. Its twig is very effective for maintaining the health of your teeth and gums.
Herbs with pungent taste can improve the saliva secretion and help in removing toxins from your mouth. An example of pungent herb is karanja.
Herbs with astringent taste are very beneficial for healing wounds and ulcers on the gums. They also help you fight bad breath. Khadira i.e. Acacia catechu, is a good example of astringent herb.
Some of the plants that help you make your own toothbrush are karanja, akra, kakubha, meswak, neem, khadira, licorice and Bengal fig.
How to use Tooth stick (twigs) as a toothbrush:
When you use twigs as toothbrush, the length of the twig must be 25 cm and its thickness about the thickness of your fingers. To use it as brush, you have to chew a bit of it from the front. Brush your teeth with it in gentle strokes.
Should you use herbal toothpaste? How effective are they?
Nowadays you get a large number of herbal toothpastes in the market, promising you that they are as effective as the twigs you use to brush teeth. These tooth pastes are better compared to other toothpastes that contain chemicals in them. They can help in preventing bad breath as well. However, the effects of these herbal tooth pastes are temporary compared to the twigs.
Steps on How to brush your teeth properly:
- Brush your teeth properly for minimum two minutes.
- You can use short and gentle strokes to brush your teeth.
- Remember to clean the gaps between your teeth in a proper way, as food particles and germs can collect in these gaps.
- When you brush the outer surface, remember to keep your tooth brush at an angle of 45 degrees.
- Do not use linear strokes to brush your teeth. Instead, you can use circular strokes.
- When you brush your teeth, you have to pay special attention to the back of your teeth and gums, as well as the areas of restoration.
Tongue Scraping Benefits in Ayurveda:
Ayurveda recommends scraping of your tongue immediately after you brush your teeth. This when practiced daily helps in maintaining your oral health, as well as your physical, mental and spiritual health.
In the Charaka Samhita, it is mentioned that tongue scrapping, or jihwa prakshalana, is a good way to remove foul smell and tastelessness from your mouth. This it does so by getting rid of the coating of dirt and buildup from the tongue. Tongue scrapping helps in making your mouth feel fresh and clean. Scrapping is also good for stimulating the reflex points on your tongue. This way it helps in better secretion of digestive enzymes.
When you select tongue scrappers, make sure that they do not have any sharp edges, as this can cause harm to your tongue. Ayurveda recommends that you use scrappers made of metals like gold, silver, tin, copper and brass.
Ayurveda also says that you can use specific metal scrappers depending on your body type. This way it will be more beneficial for you.
- If your body type is pitta, then you may use tongue scrappers made of silver.
- If your body type is vata, you can use gold tongue scrapper.
- In case your body type is kapha, you must use tongue scrappers made of copper.
Ayurvedic Home Remedies for Dental Health:
Rock salt and mustard oil:
- Take 2 teaspoons of rock salt and mix it with 2 teaspoons of mustard oil
- Massage your teeth with this mixture and leave it for 5 minutes.
- Gargle with water.
Natural home remedy using salt:
- Take one glass of lukewarm water and add 1 teaspoon of salt to it.
- Mix well and gargle with this water every night before you go to sleep.
Gargle with sesame oil:
Gargling with sesame oil helps in preventing tooth cavities, receding gums and treating sensitive teeth. All you have to do is to take a little quantity of warm, organic and unrefined sesame oil and gargle. Hold it in your mouth for one minute. Now you can throw it out. After that you can take some sesame oil and apply it on your teeth with your index finger. Gently massage your gums with this oil.
Additional Ayurvedic Tips:
- Massage your teeth with clove oil.
- Chew clove after you have your meal.
- Try to include onions in your daily diet. Onions are very beneficial for killing germs.