Showing posts with label gumdisease. Show all posts
Showing posts with label gumdisease. Show all posts
Friday, May 3, 2013
Herbal and Natural Remedies for Common Tooth and Gum Ailments
10:39:00 AM
While you can best achieve and maintain good tooth and gum health
naturally with a long-term preventative, holistic approach that combines
herbs and other natural substances with a healthy diet, an effective
daily oral-hygiene routine, and regular dental check-ups, for those
times when you still experience tooth and gum discomforts or ailments, a
wide variety of herbs can soothe the mouth, lessen the pain, and aid in
healing the condition. If you are experiencing tooth and gum problems,
the best first step is to begin and maintain a routine as described
above (see my previous article, "Enhance Your Dental Health Naturally: A Holistic Approach to Herbs for Healthy Teeth and Gums"
for a wealth of information and possibilities). In addition to your
regular oral-hygiene routine, you can also apply specific herbal and
natural treatments for all manner of tooth and gum ailments, ranging
from bad breath and canker sores, to discomfort from dental procedures,
to gum disease, toothaches and abscesses.
It is important to exercise care when using herbs. Some herbs can be toxic if used for too long or in too great amounts. In addition, the active ingredients in some herbs are not recommended for certain health conditions, and can react negatively with prescription medications or other remedies. It is therefore recommended, especially if you are pregnant or nursing, wish to treat a child, have special health conditions, or are taking prescription medications, that you research the remedies that interest you before using them, and consult a qualified professional if you have questions or doubts. For more severe tooth and gum ailments, it is recommended that you combine any at-home treatment with a trip to the dentist.
Bad Breath
In addition to good oral hygiene, you can also freshen your breath by chewing whole fennel seeds, clove buds, whole cinnamon bark pieces, peeled cardamom pods, or parsley leaves. A mouthwash containing rosemary, diluted essential oils of anise, cinnamon, fennel, peppermint, or tea tree essential oil, or teas made from basil, chocolate mint, fennel, juniper berries, lavender flowers, parsley, peppermint, pineapple sage flowers, rose petals, sage, or thyme and used as mouthwash, also improve the breath. If bad breath remains a problem, you can take chlorophyll capsules or acidophilus supplements, and drink parsley or wheatgrass juice daily. It also helps to eat apples and celery often, since they are natural breath fresheners. Eating a sprig of parsley or a small piece of lemon peel will freshen the breath after eating garlic. Although some texts advise against ingesting essential oils, others suggest that you can also drink a cup of peppermint tea or add two drops of anise, fennel or peppermint essential oil to a full glass of water before drinking it to freshen your breath.
Mouth Sores
Herbal and natural remedies can also soothe and heal mouth sores. Mouth sores are often linked to food allergies or nutritional deficiencies, especially of iron, vitamin B12 and folic acid, so good vitamin and mineral supplements help. Acidophilus taken internally and used as a mouth rinse also eases mouth sores. Since canker sores stem from the breakdown of connective tissue, the herb gotu kola, ingested daily as a tea, is an effective remedy since it heals connective tissue. Chamomile mouthwash treats mouth sores resulting from chemotherapy. Other good rinses for mouth sores are alum, Milk of Magnesia, and teas of marigold, sage, or chinchona bark. You can also apply myrrh gum powder directly to the sore. Licorice root, a strongly anti-inflammatory tissue healer, is considered the best remedy for mouth sores. You can apply a pinch of licorice-root powder directly to a sore, or suck on a lozenge of DGL (de-glycyrrhizinated licorice). Aloe vera also soothes sores in the mouth when applied directly. A mouthwash of chickweed, violet, or rockrose also soothes pain from mouth sores. You can rub tea-tree oil directly on a cold sore to promote healing; apply as soon as the developing sore begins to tingle. A salve of thyme, myrrh and goldenseal can treat mouth sores caused by oral herpes.
Sore and Receding Gums
You can massage certain essential oils directly into sore areas of gums. These include tea tree, clove, eucalyptus, evening primrose, summer savory and wintergreen oils. You can also rinse the mouth with fennel or chamomile tea, a mouthwash of goldenseal, marigold, sage or diluted tea-tree oil, or apply aloe vera or a naturally antibiotic ointment made of steeped red clover leaves and blossoms, directly to the gums. A preparation of myrrh, tea tree and peppermint essential oils in vodka or apple-cider vinegar can be massaged directly into the gums to strengthen them. A mixture of yerba mansa, echinacea root, myrrh tears and prickly ash bark, steeped in vodka or apple-cider vinegar and massaged into the gums after brushing, encourages regeneration of receding gum tissues. For more severe gum disease, packs containing ingredients such as turmeric, aloe, willow bark, licorice root, the antioxidant vitamin E, and powdered alum, wrapped together in gauze and placed in the corners of the mouth nightly, have been known in some cases to heal the condition in a just few months.
Toothaches
Applying a powder of blackened eggplant and salt directly to the tooth will lessen a toothache. Rinsing the mouth with hydrogen peroxide, chewing a clove bud, or even applying just plain salt to the tooth will also help. Saturating a cotton ball in an essential oil such as cayenne, clove, peppermint, summer savory, wintergreen, or tincture of hops, and placing it directly on the tooth will also ease toothaches in an emergency. Since a persistent toothache often signals a more severe condition, it is wise to visit the dentist when this symptom occurs.
Infections and Abscesses in the Mouth
Garlic, a natural antibiotic for bacterial and fungal infections, and immune system strengthener, helps heal mouth infections. Fresh oil of garlic or raw cloves are the most effective form, but you can also find odorless garlic extracts in health-food stores. A mouthwash of the horsetail herb or witch hazel also treats infections of the mouth and gums. The common weed dandelion, a blood purifier, as well as echinacea combined with myrrh and licorice root, and ointment of red clover leaves and flowers, are good treatments for mouth abscesses. A salve or ointment of sanicle, a powerfully antioxidant herb, can also heal septic wounds. In the event of an infection or abscess in the mouth, it is best to combine any at-home treatment with a trip to the dentist.
Healing After Dental Procedures
After a tooth extraction, gum surgery, or other dental procedures, you can apply annato-seed pulp to the area to enhance healing. The fresh tops of St. John's wort (also known as shepherd's purse) help stop any bleeding. A chamomile poultice reduces pain and swelling. Elderberry mouthwash following gum surgery or suture placement helps the gums to heal properly, preventing scars. Antibiotic red clover ointment, or marigold or yarrow mouthwash also enhance the healing process.
For further information on healing tooth and gum conditions, including recipes for specific remedies, consult the sources listed below.
Sources
It is important to exercise care when using herbs. Some herbs can be toxic if used for too long or in too great amounts. In addition, the active ingredients in some herbs are not recommended for certain health conditions, and can react negatively with prescription medications or other remedies. It is therefore recommended, especially if you are pregnant or nursing, wish to treat a child, have special health conditions, or are taking prescription medications, that you research the remedies that interest you before using them, and consult a qualified professional if you have questions or doubts. For more severe tooth and gum ailments, it is recommended that you combine any at-home treatment with a trip to the dentist.
Bad Breath
In addition to good oral hygiene, you can also freshen your breath by chewing whole fennel seeds, clove buds, whole cinnamon bark pieces, peeled cardamom pods, or parsley leaves. A mouthwash containing rosemary, diluted essential oils of anise, cinnamon, fennel, peppermint, or tea tree essential oil, or teas made from basil, chocolate mint, fennel, juniper berries, lavender flowers, parsley, peppermint, pineapple sage flowers, rose petals, sage, or thyme and used as mouthwash, also improve the breath. If bad breath remains a problem, you can take chlorophyll capsules or acidophilus supplements, and drink parsley or wheatgrass juice daily. It also helps to eat apples and celery often, since they are natural breath fresheners. Eating a sprig of parsley or a small piece of lemon peel will freshen the breath after eating garlic. Although some texts advise against ingesting essential oils, others suggest that you can also drink a cup of peppermint tea or add two drops of anise, fennel or peppermint essential oil to a full glass of water before drinking it to freshen your breath.
Mouth Sores
Herbal and natural remedies can also soothe and heal mouth sores. Mouth sores are often linked to food allergies or nutritional deficiencies, especially of iron, vitamin B12 and folic acid, so good vitamin and mineral supplements help. Acidophilus taken internally and used as a mouth rinse also eases mouth sores. Since canker sores stem from the breakdown of connective tissue, the herb gotu kola, ingested daily as a tea, is an effective remedy since it heals connective tissue. Chamomile mouthwash treats mouth sores resulting from chemotherapy. Other good rinses for mouth sores are alum, Milk of Magnesia, and teas of marigold, sage, or chinchona bark. You can also apply myrrh gum powder directly to the sore. Licorice root, a strongly anti-inflammatory tissue healer, is considered the best remedy for mouth sores. You can apply a pinch of licorice-root powder directly to a sore, or suck on a lozenge of DGL (de-glycyrrhizinated licorice). Aloe vera also soothes sores in the mouth when applied directly. A mouthwash of chickweed, violet, or rockrose also soothes pain from mouth sores. You can rub tea-tree oil directly on a cold sore to promote healing; apply as soon as the developing sore begins to tingle. A salve of thyme, myrrh and goldenseal can treat mouth sores caused by oral herpes.
Sore and Receding Gums
You can massage certain essential oils directly into sore areas of gums. These include tea tree, clove, eucalyptus, evening primrose, summer savory and wintergreen oils. You can also rinse the mouth with fennel or chamomile tea, a mouthwash of goldenseal, marigold, sage or diluted tea-tree oil, or apply aloe vera or a naturally antibiotic ointment made of steeped red clover leaves and blossoms, directly to the gums. A preparation of myrrh, tea tree and peppermint essential oils in vodka or apple-cider vinegar can be massaged directly into the gums to strengthen them. A mixture of yerba mansa, echinacea root, myrrh tears and prickly ash bark, steeped in vodka or apple-cider vinegar and massaged into the gums after brushing, encourages regeneration of receding gum tissues. For more severe gum disease, packs containing ingredients such as turmeric, aloe, willow bark, licorice root, the antioxidant vitamin E, and powdered alum, wrapped together in gauze and placed in the corners of the mouth nightly, have been known in some cases to heal the condition in a just few months.
Toothaches
Applying a powder of blackened eggplant and salt directly to the tooth will lessen a toothache. Rinsing the mouth with hydrogen peroxide, chewing a clove bud, or even applying just plain salt to the tooth will also help. Saturating a cotton ball in an essential oil such as cayenne, clove, peppermint, summer savory, wintergreen, or tincture of hops, and placing it directly on the tooth will also ease toothaches in an emergency. Since a persistent toothache often signals a more severe condition, it is wise to visit the dentist when this symptom occurs.
Infections and Abscesses in the Mouth
Garlic, a natural antibiotic for bacterial and fungal infections, and immune system strengthener, helps heal mouth infections. Fresh oil of garlic or raw cloves are the most effective form, but you can also find odorless garlic extracts in health-food stores. A mouthwash of the horsetail herb or witch hazel also treats infections of the mouth and gums. The common weed dandelion, a blood purifier, as well as echinacea combined with myrrh and licorice root, and ointment of red clover leaves and flowers, are good treatments for mouth abscesses. A salve or ointment of sanicle, a powerfully antioxidant herb, can also heal septic wounds. In the event of an infection or abscess in the mouth, it is best to combine any at-home treatment with a trip to the dentist.
Healing After Dental Procedures
After a tooth extraction, gum surgery, or other dental procedures, you can apply annato-seed pulp to the area to enhance healing. The fresh tops of St. John's wort (also known as shepherd's purse) help stop any bleeding. A chamomile poultice reduces pain and swelling. Elderberry mouthwash following gum surgery or suture placement helps the gums to heal properly, preventing scars. Antibiotic red clover ointment, or marigold or yarrow mouthwash also enhance the healing process.
For further information on healing tooth and gum conditions, including recipes for specific remedies, consult the sources listed below.
Sources
- "Herbal Care of Teeth and Gums," by Karta Purkh Singh Khalsa, in The Herb Quarterly, Issue 79, Summer 1998.
- "A Natural Remedy for Gingivitis, Toothaches, and Mouth Sores," by Rudy Silva, on EzineArticles.com.
- "Herbs for Dental Health" by Christopher Hobbs L.Ac., A.H.G., on www.healthy.net. "Periodontal Disease" by Janet Zand L.Ac., O.M.D. on www.healthy.net. "Herbal Therapy in Dentistry," by Flora Parsa Stay D.D.S., from The Complete Book of Dental Remedies.
- Beauty By Nature, by Brigitte Mars.
- Living on the Earth, by Alicia Bay Laurel.
Enhance Your Dental Health Naturally - A Holistic Approach to Herbs for Healthy Teeth and Gums
6:57:00 AM
Modern studies and centuries of use show that a wide variety of
herbs, essential oils, and other natural substances improve oral hygiene
and help prevent and heal many tooth and gum disorders. Many herbalists
advocate a preventative, holistic approach to mouth care that combines
herbs with an improved diet and an effective daily oral-hygiene routine.
Dental-health
professionals agree that the most important factor in tooth and gum
health is diet. Since the bacteria in the mouth thrive on sugar, it is
best to reduce or eliminate refined simple sugars from the diet, and eat
primarily fresh foods free of chemicals, additives, and preservatives.
Eating whole grains and high-fiber foods like raw carrots, and chewing
them thoroughly, stimulates the gums.
Nutritional supplements also
improve dental health. Antioxidants, including vitamins C and E, zinc,
selenium, and beta carotene improve oral health, and folic acid reduces
plaque, inflammation, and bleeding in the mouth. Daily doses of Coenyzme
Q10 combat receding gum lines. Supplemental vitamins and minerals are
important, since the body takes needed calcium from the jaw bone first
in the event of a deficiency, which can lead to loose teeth. Eating kelp
daily promotes healthy teeth and gums, since it is rich in vitamins,
minerals and trace elements.
In addition to diet, a thorough,
consistent oral-hygiene routine is important for healthy gums and teeth.
Since gum disease and tooth decay stem largely from excess bacteria
residing between the teeth and gums to form plaque and tartar, the main
goal of oral hygiene is to remove excess bacteria from the mouth. Dental
professionals recommend brushing your teeth at least twice, and
flossing at least once, daily. Since bacteria can also collect on the
tongue, cleaning the tongue with a toothbrush, a commercially-available
tongue scraper, or even an upside-down soup spoon, eliminates twice as
much bacteria from the mouth as just brushing the teeth. It is also
beneficial to thoroughly brush the gums, as well as the insides of the
cheeks. Over time, bacteria can inhabit your toothbrush and reenter your
mouth with each brushing, so dental-care professionals advocate
changing your toothbrush twice a month. You can also buy a toothbrush
sterilizer, or soak your toothbrush in an antibacterial mouthwash
between uses. Electric rotary brushes have been shown to remove
significantly more plaque than regular brushes.
Rubber-tipped gum
stimulators also further aid in cleaning, stimulating and massaging the
gums to keep the tissues healthy. Brushing and flossing alone cannot
always remove enough bacteria from deeper gum pockets, so dental-care
providers often recommend oral-irrigation devices such as the "Water
Pic" and "proxi-brushes," very small brushes resembling bottle-brushes
or pipe cleaners. These tools can clean hard-to-reach areas between
teeth, around braces and other dental work, and inside spaces caused by
receding gums.
If you wish to maintain healthy teeth and gums
naturally, you can easily incorporate natural and herbal tools and
preparations, such as natural brushes or picks, powders, pastes, teas
and mouthwashes into your daily oral-hygiene routine. Many preparations
are easy to make at home, and health-food stores sell their own
varieties that include the same herbs and ingredients. It is important
to exercise care when using herbs. Some herbs can be toxic if used for
too long or in too great amounts. In addition, the active ingredients in
some herbs are not recommended for certain health conditions, and can
react negatively with prescription medications or other remedies. It is
therefore recommended, especially if you are pregnant, wish to treat a
child, have special health conditions, or are taking prescription
medications, that you research the herbs that interest you before using
them, and consult a qualified professional if you have questions or
doubts.
A great many herbs and natural substances promote tooth
and gum health by tightening the gum tissue, promoting circulation, and
removing plaque and debris from the mouth. To name just a few, these
include resins such as myrrh and the anti-viral bee product, propolys,
which stimulates the production of new mouth tissues, usnea, a lichen
stronger than penicillin against strep and staph bacteria, bloodroot,
and plantain, a common weed which eases mouth abscesses and
inflammation. High-tannin-content herbs such as krameria and oak apples
also enhance tooth and gum health. Hawthorn extract, used over time,
tightens the gum tissue. Echinacea extract, an antimicrobial immune
strengthener, fights bacteria in the mouth. Extract of aloe vera also
soothes and benefits the mouth tissues. Licorice root is
anti-inflammatory and antibiotic, inhibits plaque growth, and tastes
pleasant, so it is often added to toothpastes and mouthwashes. The
essential oils of many healing plants are naturally antibacterial,
antiviral and antifungal, and increase blood flow to the gums.
Dental-health-enhancing essential oils include tea tree, peppermint,
spearmint, eucalyptus, orange, clove, cinnamon, ginger, sage, rosemary,
thyme, anise and fennel, to name a few.
Many traditional cultures
make natural, disposable toothbrushes and gum stimulators from the twigs
or roots of healing plants. Bay, fir, juniper, eucalyptus, oak, willow,
and neem-tree twigs have served this purpose, as well as the roots of
marshmallow, horseradish, alfalfa, and licorice. Health-food stores
often sell a rough equivalent, wooden toothpicks soaked in healing
essential oils. You can even make your own by placing undyed wooden
toothpicks in a glass jar and covering them with a
dental-health-enhancing essential oil. Let them soak in the oil
overnight, then allow them to air-dry.
To prepare a simple
homemade toothpaste, mix a small amount of baking soda with just enough
hydrogen peroxide to form a paste. Apply this paste to the gum line,
both inside and out, then place the rubber point of the gum stimulator
between the teeth, and rotate in a circular motion for several seconds.
Repeat this routine twice a day. Many tooth and gum problems occur when
the pH inside of the mouth is too acidic, and baking soda alkalinizes
the mouth. You can also add small amounts of zinc sulfate, folic acid
(you can grind these to a powder in a coffee grinder or using a mortar
and pestle), liquid vitamin E, one to two drops of peppermint or
tea-tree essential oil, or hawthorn, echinacea, or aloe vera extracts.
Experiment to find the particular mixture that best suits you. Other
effective tooth powder ingredients are alum, salt, blackened eggplant,
myrrh gum, turmeric, and white-oak or prickly ash bark. In some cases of
severe gum disease, wrapping tooth powders in gauze and placing them in
the corners of the mouth nightly has healed the condition in just a few
months.
Herbal teas or extracts can replace water in your oral
irrigator or serve as mouthwashes, for added benefits. Even the
commercial mouthwash, Listerine contains anti-bacterial thymol, which is
derived from the thyme herb. Since thymol reduces gingivitis, Listerine
also works well in the oral irrigator. You can also prepare homemade
mouthwashes by steeping dried herbs in vodka or apple cider vinegar.
Good mouthwash herbs include cloves, coriander, dill, sage, peppermint,
spearmint, eucalyptus, cinnamon, rosemary, fennel, sage, basil,
cardamom, parsley, ginger, blackberry leaf, calendula or chamomile
flowers, echinacea or marshmallow root, mint, raspberry leaf, basil,
sage, thyme, and yarrow, to name a few.
As this overview shows,
you can easily enhance your tooth and gum health naturally by combining
herbs with proper diet and nutrition. For further information, including
specific recipes, consult the sources listed below.
Sources:
- "Herbal Care of Teeth and Gums," by Karta Purkh Singh Khalsa, in The Herb Quarterly, Issue 79, Summer 1998.
- "A Natural Remedy for Gingivitis, Toothaches, and Mouth Sores," by Rudy Silva, on EzineArticles.com.
- "Herbs for Dental Health" by Christopher Hobbs L.Ac., A.H.G., on www.healthy.net.
- "Periodontal Disease" by Janet Zand L.Ac., O.M.D. on www.healthy.net.
- "Herbal Therapy in Dentistry," by Flora Parsa Stay D.D.S., from The Complete Book of Dental Remedies.
- Beauty By Nature, by Brigitte Mars.
- Living on the Earth, by Alicia Bay Laurel.
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