oral and dental care
"Basically, Germans are aware of the importance of dental hygiene. In a very extensive patient survey with 12,000 participants, it was rated as the most important, even before showering and washing your hair. However, this study by the Heinrich Heine University in Düsseldorf also found that men do not find the topic easy. Only just under 75 percent brush their teeth twice a day. For women, the figure is around 88 percent," writes journalist and author Irene Dalichow in the magazine "Yoga Aktuell".
Dental care – which products are useful?
Dental health – a broad topic, from the health policy debate about dentures to pH-neutralizing chewing gum. There are now almost as many technologically innovative toothbrush models as there are aircraft or sports car models. Friendly, white-coated ladies and gentlemen in TV commercials point out to the interested viewer which red, blue or pink striped paste is best to use on them. And in Hollywood, it has long been considered good form and good look to undergo occasional tooth whitening to achieve that radiant star smile. But is all of this really necessary for a hearty bite and a dazzling white smile, or are there alternatives that are more natural and gentle?
Firstly, there are the well-known tips that you get from your school dentist, which are quickly chewed over: brush your teeth at least three times a day, don't forget the spaces between your teeth (gentle dental floss is a good way to do this; interdental brushes of the right strength are also advisable for the larger spaces) and don't eat too many sweets - that's clear to everyone. Many people know from the advice they get during a professional teeth cleaning that you shouldn't brush in circular movements, but rather in a straight movement starting from the gums along the teeth.
And what can be said about dental care from an Ayurvedic perspective? A low-sugar diet is also recommended in Ayurveda. As is frequent brushing - but the "how" and "what" differ from Western culture: Indians traditionally use tree branches as cleaning tools, the ends of which they first chew until they are fibrous. However, they do not necessarily grab the branches of the nearest plant at random. If it is a splintery tree or one with ingredients that are incompatible with humans, this could be unpleasant. The neem tree, for example, is very suitable, and its antibacterial properties make it a source of excellent "toothbrushes". Liquorice, Calotropis, Baniyan, Accassia and Pongamia are also often used for this purpose. Cleaning teeth with powders made from ground plants is also common in Ayurveda, although these mainly contain plants with a tart, sharp and bitter taste. If you find brushing with a dry powder too difficult to get used to, you can mix the mixture with a little rose water or peppermint oil.
Various neem preparations are also available in this country through AYURDEVA.
Effective Oral Care: Oil Pulling for Detoxification
In the morning, after brushing, you should also do what is known as oil pulling (Gandusha). This removes toxic substances from the mouth and not only protects and strengthens the teeth, but also strengthens the enzyme system, promotes digestion and refines the sense of taste. To do this, you put a tablespoon of ghee or sesame oil in your mouth and pull the oil through your teeth. Cold-pressed sunflower or olive oil is also suitable. The oil is left in the mouth for five to ten minutes, but no longer. Then spit out the oil thoroughly and rinse with a little water. This procedure may take some getting used to at first because of the unusual taste and feeling in the mouth, but it is worth it - especially for smokers and for anyone who suffers from hyperacidity or high levels of heavy metals. In Ayurveda, frequent consumption of crunchy fruit and vegetables such as apples or raw carrots is also considered good protection for dental health. Irene Dalichow explains in the article "Teeth to show" quoted above: "It's about rinsing your mouth thoroughly with a small amount of oil in the morning on an empty stomach - that is, before brushing your teeth. After ten to fifteen minutes, the oil is spit out, your teeth and mouth are thoroughly rinsed with water, and your teeth are then brushed as usual." She adds about the effects: "People who have done this treatment regularly every morning for months report that they no longer catch colds as easily and that they have even seen improvements in skin problems, stomach ulcers, intestinal, nerve, kidney and lung diseases. Because as you move the oil back and forth in your mouth, your body's metabolism is stimulated. This way, pathogens and harmful substances not only from your mouth, but also from all sorts of other areas, get into the oil, get stuck in it and finally leave the system when you spit it out."
Tongue scraping as an important part of oral care
A small but important ritual that not only serves to care for the mouth but is also said to have a detoxifying effect on the entire body is tongue scraping. The well-known Ayurveda specialist Kerstin Rosenberg describes it in a specialist article as follows: "First, the tongue is freed of excess plaque. To do this, you use a small spoon or a special tongue scraper, with which the tongue is gently scraped several times from the back of the palate to the tip of the tongue. Cleaning the tongue freshens up the entire mouth, prevents bad breath and frees the tongue of toxic metabolic absorptions (Ama)."
Gum care is also part of oral care
The gums should also be considered: they benefit from a sufficient supply of vitamin C and can also be kept healthy by massaging in a preparation of black pepper, salt and turmeric mixed with sesame oil. And what does Ayurvedic medicine recommend for toothache? Applying cinnamon oil or diluted clove oil to the affected area, including the surrounding areas, can provide relief.
More tips
Last but not least, in connection with dental health, we should once again return to the aspect that plays a fundamental role in Ayurvedic medicine: healthy digestion. As holistically oriented western dentists have also pointed out recently, the dreaded periodontitis, for example, is apparently closely linked to disturbances in the intestinal flora. Yet another reason to pay attention to a beneficial and dosha-appropriate diet - because whether you will still be able to bite powerfully tomorrow also depends on what you do today.
