By Emily Manke, Lifestyle Blogger, Freelance Writer
Supplementing herbal dental treatments into your regular dental care regime, is a good choice. There’s a variety of herbs that have been clinically proven to assist in dental care.
Bark
Lesley Tierra’s book The Herbs of Life, says “the twigs contain volatile oils which stimulate blood circulation, tannins that tighten and cleanse gum tissue and other materials, such as vitamin C, which maintain healthy gums. Bay, eucalyptus, oak, fir, and juniper all work well for this.” Perhaps this is the cause for the multitude of herbal oak bark toothpastes. Oak Bark is a wonderful, proven ingredient for any herbal dental treatment, so look for toothpastes that contain it.
Tea Tree Oil
In Natural Cures For Common Conditions By Stacey Chillemi, she describes a study that continues to establish Tea Tree Oil as a massively effective herbal dental treatment. The study had 49 participants who all suffered from chronic and severe gingivitis. Non-placebo patients who brushed with tea tree oil, saw significant reduction in symptoms from severe chronic gingivitis. The tea tree oil only worked when it was brushed on teeth though, not when the gel was applied without brushing. So to get the proper benefits from this herbal dental treatment, use tea tree oil in toothpaste form.
Fennel
Fennel is known to have many spiritual, edible and medicinal uses. The Journal of Oral Health and Community Dentistry published a study titled, “Effect of Fennel Seeds On Dental Plaque and Salivary pH-A Clinical Study,” explains one of the benefits of fennel as an herbal dental treatment. “A highly significant but a very transient drop in salivary pH on chewing the seeds was observed.” The article states. This is another commonly found ingredient in herbal toothpastes, so next time you see it on an ingredients list, you’ll know it’s an effective herbal dental treatment. Don’t be shy sprinkling on that fennel seed when seasoning either.
Coenzyme Q10
In the aforementioned book by Stacey Chillemi, she touts the benefits regarding coenzyme Q10 as an herbal dental treatment. Chillemi points to a study done by dentists at Osaka University in Japan as evidence for coenzyme Q10’s effectiveness. In the study, patients who brushed with coenzyme Q10 for three weeks saw reduced inflammation, and infection. Coenzyme Q10 an effective natural dental treatment both when used topically, and ingested. It can be found in a number of herbal toothpastes, and foods. Ocean salmon, carrots, spinach, eggs and almonds, all have an abundance of coenzyme Q10.
Vitamin C
A study was released In the August, 2000 issue of the Journal of Periodontology, that suggested people who don’t get enough Vitamin C, are at a higher risk for gum disease than those who do. Robert Genco, D.D.S., Ph.D., chair of the Oral Biology Department at The State University of New York at Buffalo, spoke about his findings. “Periodontal disease is an inflammatory disorder that increases tissue damage and loss. Since vitamin C is known as a powerful scavenger of reactive oxygen species, which form part of the body’s antioxidant defense system, low levels of dietary vitamin C may compromise the body’s ability to neutralize these tissue destructive oxidants,” Genco stated. So eat your fruits and vegetables, it’s important for dental health as well.
Calcium
Calcium is famous for being good for your bone health. Research has indicated that people who don’t get enough calcium every day, 500 mg, the recommended daily amount, are more likely to get periodontal disease. So not only does calcium help build strong bones, but it helps keep your teeth and gums healthy as well.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D can help prevent and treat periodontal disease because of its antiinflammatory properties. A study at Boston University, looked at data from 6700 people who had participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. The results of the survey, showed that people with higher levels of vitamin D present in their bloodstream, experienced less gum bleeding during probing. Eating low fat dairy products are a great way to get both calcium and vitamin D in your diet.
Baking Soda and Hydrogen Peroxide
Some may already know that baking soda and hydrogen peroxide can aid in whitening teeth what’s less well-known, is that they can help prevent and heal gum disease also. Dr. Andrew Weis, a professor of medicine at the University of Arizona, gives a helpful tip for home treatment of gum disease. In his health advice column, Weis was asked about natural treatments for gum disease. Dr. Weis suggested making a paste with baking soda and hydrogen peroxide, and using it to brush your teeth. This helps reduce inflammation, by killing plaque and bacteria.
Try these DIY recipes for all-natural mouthwash and toothpaste Courtesy of care2
Homemade Mouthwash Recipe
The following recipe makes great use of herbal tinctures, but you can just as easily create a quality, natural mouthwash from dried or fresh herbs straight from the garden by using this method.
Ingredients:
3⁄4 cup water
1⁄4 cup vodka
2 droppersful calendula tincture
2 droppersful goldenseal tincture
1 dropperful myrrh tincture
1 to 2 drops peppermint essential oil
Combine all ingredients and shake well. Dilute 3 tablespoons of the rinse in 1⁄2 ounce water, and use as a mouthwash.
Make Your Own Mint Toothpaste
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons baking soda
1⁄2 teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon vegetable glycerin
20 drops peppermint essential oil
Mix all ingredients and store in an airtight container. Try this recipe for a toothpaste with a little extra bite.
Emily Manke is a health, lifestyle, HR, and travel blogger from Portland, Oregon. She sometimes contributes to the blog for this General Dentist in Vancouver, Washington.
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