Importance of Herbs for Dental Health

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Before drinking water was fluorinated as a norm in the 20th century, the health aspects of tooth decay assumed gigantic proportions and many in the population suffered from severe dental conditions. Therefore traditional medicine and herbal practitioners from the old days to the nineteenth century, were concerned and attempted and discovered many herbs that aid in the protection of teeth.
This was very necessary in a time in which dental hygiene would have been otherwise unknown or primitive. These early dentist were rewarded for their efforts in that nature contained a lot of herbs that could be used to prevent and treat tooth decay, these herbs were both potent and effective in fighting dental problems.
Herbal remedies have a long history of use for gum and tooth problems. In many traditional cultures, there are no plastic-bristle brushes, rather, the use of herbal “chewing sticks” for relieving dental problems are common. Chewing sticks are usually taken from plants, shrubs or trees with high anti-microbial activity. The ends of selected sticks are shredded and they are used to massage dental gums and “floss” the teeth.
In California, the young twigs of any of a number of oaks or willows have served for chewing sticks, and are still available today.

In Traditional European Medicine, the following herbs have a long history of use for prevention and in assisting the body to heal itself in gum and tooth disorders.
Below are listed the categories of herbal remedies often recommended by herbalists for promoting healthy gums and teeth and for helping to reverse pathology.

Anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory herbal resins for healthy teeth and gums

Myrrh – a resin from North Africa to Arabia, warming, astringent

Propolis – a bee product – stimulates production of new tissue, anti-viral, useful for mouth sores and ulcers

Pine resin (pitch) – use as “chewing gum” when firm

Other Anti-microbial herbs for healthy teeth and gums

Usnea – a common lichen, stronger than penicillin against strep. and staph.

Bloodroot – an eastern woodlands plant – strongly inhibits plaque and decay-causing bacteria

Plantain – a common world-wide “weed,” use it fresh for abscesses, inflammation

Herbal Astringents (anti-microbial, tightens tissues) for healthy teeth and gums

New research shows that tannin-rich plants can be anti-viral

Krameria – contains 40% tannin, combine the powder with myrrh as a dentifrice for bleeding or spongy gums

Oak galls (oak apples) – contain up to 50% tannins, use powder as a dentifrice

Tormentil & sage = use as a gargle for chronic gum inflammation

Immune herbal strengtheners for healthy teeth and gums

Echinacea – gargle or rinse with the diluted tincture, activates local immunity, induces healing

Baptisia – antiseptic, anti-bacterial

Essential herbal oils for healthy teeth and gums

Many essential-oil bearing plants are useful for stimulating the blood-flow to gums; they are also anti-bacterial. Examples: peppermint, spearmint, fennel, cinnamon, sage, thyme

Healthy Diet
Despite the resistance of modern medicine to the idea that tooth and gum disease is related to diet, this idea is widely accepted among herbalists and holistically-oriented practitioners. The single most effective method of slowing or even stopping tooth decay and gum disease, besides active and consistent oral hygiene, is the elimination of refined simple sugars from the diet. These are hidden in many processed foods, which should also be limited to 5-10% of the diet at most.
People are often of the mind that honey and fruit juice concentrates are natural sugars, and therefore do not have the side-effects of refined white sugar products. However, honey and fruit juice concentrates are highly refined products. Honey consists of sucrose and fructose – it is refined naturally by the honey bee, but it can have the same effects on the body as artificially refined sugar products. For best protection of the teeth and gums into old age, try eliminating any sweets except fresh fruit in season. After a few weeks, it becomes easy to avoid all other forms of sweets and focus on nature’s whole natural fruits.

by Christopher Hobbs.Christopher Hobbs is a fourth generation herbalist and botanist with over 30 years experience with herbs.