Keep your dentist away

Are you troubled from excruciating tooth ache and other dental problems? Ayurveda has the solution to all of them.
Here's the good news: Ayurveda offers simple, natural oral remedies and hygiene tips that you can try at home to get healthy teeth. They're easy to do and they'll always

Gargle with warm sesame oil
To beautify your teeth and gums, gargle with warm, organic, unrefined sesame oil, then hold it in your mouth for one minute before expelling it. Next, apply some oil to your index finger and gently massage your gums. This whole process (the swishing and massaging) is called kavala. It can prevent cavities and soothe an impacted wisdom tooth, receding gums, and sensitive teeth.

Use a tongue scraper
In ancient ayurvedic literature, the tongue is called the organ of taste, speech, and cognition (karmendriya). Tongue scraping is called jihva nirlekhana and it provides a host of benefits. To begin with, your tongue contains hundreds of taste buds that process six different tastes: sweet, sour, salty, bitter, pungent, and astringent. Gentle tongue scraping activates all of these taste buds and releases the six different tastes in your blood. (And that's a good thing.) In addition, the tongue is associated with the thyroid, lungs, heart, kidneys, stomach, and colon.

Use herbal toothpaste
According to ayurveda, sweet toothpastes cause a thickening of the saliva and an increase in its calcium content, which can lead to tartar formation. And too much fluoride or baking soda can erode the gums. The best toothpaste is bitter and astringent, made with herbs such as neem, triphala, cinnamon, clove, fennel, babool, and pilu. You can find herbal toothpastes online and at Indian grocery stores.

Eat sesame seeds
Problems with your teeth are often related to a deficiency of calcium, magnesium, and zinc. To compensate and to prevent future problems chew a handful of mineral-rich white sesame seeds (roasted or toasted) every morning before breakfast. Then brush your teeth with plain water so the residue of the sesame seeds can rub against your teeth, polishing and cleaning them.

Easy Remedies
For receding gums and sensitive teeth, moisten a soft, clean toothbrush with water and a few drops of tea tree oil. Brush your teeth. Then use a cotton swab to apply some tea tree oil to the exposed part of the gums. You can also apply tea tree oil to your dental floss to treat deep pockets of infection that your toothbrush can't reach.
For cold sores, apply aloe vera gel or ointment directly onto the affected area. At night, take one-half teaspoon triphala (a mild ayurvedic laxative) in warm water.
For canker sores, drink one-half cup cranberry juice between meals to heal the sores and relieve any burning sensations or irritation.
For gingivitis, massage the gums with coconut oil.
For bleeding gums, drink one cup orange juice with one-half teaspoon natural sugar and a pinch of cumin.
For swollen gums, apply turmeric directly to the affected area.
To prevent cavities, eat two pinches of ground cardamom with oatmeal. Cardamom is aromatic, stimulating, and refreshing. It also kindles digestive fire, sharpens the mind, and freshens the breath.

—Vineeta Gogia
Yoga, meditation and weight loss consultant