Dental care is not only about beautiful white teeth. It is also about dental health and hygiene and associated overall health. Dental health is associated with the health of the heart also. Bacteria in the mouth can lead to dental decay and pain. Late night sweets and smoking are total enemies of teeth.

To start with, in dental care, tooth brushes are very important. It is best to use natural tooth brushes. Earlier, people used natural tooth brushes to clean their teeth. Along with cleansing properties these brushes may also contain vitamins and minerals helpful for the body as a whole. Twigs of bay, eucalyptus, oak, fir, juniper, neem etc can be used as herbal disposable tooth brushes. Roots of licorice, marshmallow, alfalfa and horseradish can also be used as herbal tooth brushes. The leaves of mango tree are also used to brush teeth and are found to have other beneficial properties too.

The next important thing in dental care is tooth paste. Two parts of powdered potassium alum and one part of powdered salt can serve as a natural tooth powder. Prickly ash bark and myrrh gum are also used for cleaning teeth. Diluted tea tree oil can be used as a herbal mouth wash. A decoction of Oregano can also be used as a mouth wash. Chinese people have used green tea as an oral wash for years. Sage can be used as a gargle to reduce inflammation and promote oral health. Propolis, a bee product is also a good mouth rinse. Read the rest of this entry »