How to Have a Beautiful Smile

Our smile indicates vitality within. Popular Ayurvedic home remedies for teeth and gums include pure herbal bark tooth powders such as Vajradanti by Vicco, made from detoxifying, stimulating and astringent herbs, including prickly ash bark, betel nut, almond, clove, trifala, cinnamon, and Indian Medlar (bakul). It cleans teeth, tones gums and purifies the breath.

Foods that cleanse the breath include fenugreek tea enjoyed on a regular basis. Or chew very green guava, green Cardamom seeds, or fresh parsley. A tea made of fresh parsley, lemon grass or aloe vera pulp is cooling, refreshing, and cleansing. Aloe gel heals acid reflux. Add ½ tsp. of trifala powder per pot of tea daily to balance the doshas, reduce inflammation and indigestion, and improve voice and vision.

A balanced diet of seeds, nuts, fruits, vegetables, and grains keeps us well and smiling. Vitamins C and E, zinc, coenzyme Q10, and folic acid are considered helpful for mouth health. After consuming sulfur-rich foods, including dairy, fish, and meat etc. rinse with water and a pinch of baking soda or brush with an herbal toothpaste.

Teeth should be cleaned at least twice daily. Read the ingredients of toothpastes. One popular herbal brand has excellent ingredients (Calcium Carbonate, Water, vegetable Glycerin Herbal extracts of – Trifala, Acacia, Licorice, Catechu, Prickly Ash, Sappan Wood, Madder, Rose Apple, Banyan Tree, Myrrh, Neem, Medlar, Jujube, Prickly Chaff flower, Symplocus Racemosa, Embelia Ribes (vidanga), Bridelia Retusa, Barleria Prionitis (vajradanti), Indian Sarsparilla, Saraca Indica (asoka), Pellitory, Cinnamon, Cloves, Walnut, Nut Gall and Wild Celery (ajwan), Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (foaming agent from coconut), Irish Moss, Anise oil, Clove oil, Methyl Salicylate, Vanilla, Thymol, Eucalyptus oil, Cinnamon oil, Camphor, Ajwan oil, Methyl Paraben, Propyl Paraben)—-all except for the parabens, which may be carcinogenic. Avoid toothpastes and mouthwashes containing amino acid cysteine, which worsens bad breath.

During meals enjoy the tastes of foods instead of engaging in tense conversations. Afterwards, press gently with the palms of your hands downward from the sternum to navel and from the sides of the ribs to the navel. Relax, breathe deeply and, if possible, take a leisurely walk. Breathe slowly through the mouth counting to 5, retain the breath a few moments, and then exhale through the mouth.

Ayurvedic therapies like ‘Kavala’ and ‘Gandusha’ are performed between meals by gargling or keeping a medicated herbal decoction in the mouth. Try it with water and a drop of Australian tea tree oil, an antiseptic, antifungal remedy or trifala tea. Choose a mouthwash containing eucalyptol and thymol, essential oils proven to destroy bacteria. Then you can start fresh with your sweet smile and winning conversation.

Letha Hadady, D.Ac., is a New York based acupuncturist/herbalist and author of Asian Health Secrets, Personal Renewal, Healthy Beauty, and Feed Your Tiger. Her website is www.asianhealthsecrets.com