Mouth Care
It is said that a clean mouth is
a healthy mouth. Pleasant breath, clean teeth and healthy gums all
contribute to a beautiful smile. Bad breath is usually a sign of poor
digestion, which is why cleaning the teeth or using mouth gargles only
relieves the problem temporarily. To permanently eliminate bad breath
the eating habits or diet should be monitored. Fasting for a day, and
then adopting a light, easily digestible diet can eliminate this
problem.
Consuming aloe Vera gel, or ginger and lemon juice, also helps improve
digestion. Rinsing the mouth with a decoction of mint, or chewing
parsley or basil leaves can improve breath.
Teeth
Healthy teeth are white, evenly spaced, level and clean. Unhealthy
teeth are discolored, uneven, and are present in greater or less than
the normal number.
Teeth problems occur due to poor diet or bad eating habits, tobacco,
tea, coffee, sweet and sticky foods (sweets, chocolates, raisins) and
very cold or hot food can lead to discoloration or decay. Ayurveda
emphasizes on cleaning the teeth twice daily, in the morning and
evening.
After eating it is necessary to rinse and gargle to remove food
particles that may be stuck between teeth. Eating hard, crunchy fruits
and vegetables (Apples, carrots) is good for the teeth. For discolored
teeth salt mixed with lime or lemon juice to brush the teeth. To ease
toothache, apply a couple of drops of cinnamon or clove oil to the base
of the aching tooth.
Gums
Healthy gums are red, regular, compact and hard while unhealthy gums
are spongy, dark red or very pale and may bleed.
Citrus fruits (oranges, grapefruit, lemon, lime), guavas or
pomegranates should be included in the diet to ensure healthy gums as
these fruits contain large quantities of vitamin C. Massaging the gums
daily with a mixture of salt, black pepper, turmeric and sesame oil is
also beneficial.
Tongue
The internal conditions of the digestive system is reflected by the
tongue. According to ayurveda the condition of coating on the tongue
determines physical disorders that may be present while a mucus like
coating on the tongue demonstrates the presence of Ama (a toxic
byproduct of poor digestion or improper eating habits).
Ayurvedic oral hygiene includes:
Cleaning the teeth and tongue daily with specially designed metal
tongue scraper and gentle use of toothbrush.
|
