We all know that we should brush and floss our teeth at least twice daily, right? Plus, after meals.
And by now, most of us realize that our oral health is directly related to the health of other areas of our body – especially our vital organs.
I have to admit, oral health is not my area of pride. I hate to floss (but I do, begrudgingly) and I have remnants of trauma from the meanest, most incompetent childhood dentist on the planet (according to me).
I can still picture his dark dank office that smelled of I-don’t-know-what. Some kind of dental procedure odor that my olfactory sense has on lockdown in its memory.
The dentist who shall remain nameless (he was a family friend of my mother) once pulled a molar and sent me on my merry way without any instructions. When I brushed my teeth I ended up with a dry socket so painful my mother gave me Southern Comfort.
A few years later when said unnamed dentist’s son took over the practice and looked in my mouth, he remarked, “What quack pulled these teeth?” I kid you not.
I even kicked him once. Yep, shy, terrified little Barbie kicked the dentist.
Of course, I should note that the numerous cavities in my little mouth were not the dentist’s fault, but rather the direct result of my almost daily visits to the candy store on our corner, where Slo Pokes, gumballs, and Turkish Taffy could be had with my precious weekly allowance.
I was a child of the 50s. What can I say? Sadly, I still have some mercury fillings to prove it.
As I grew older, I was obsessed with criticizing my less-than-perfect teeth. When someone asked me “Don’t You Ever Smile?“, it slightly rocked my world and took my self-confidence down a notch or two.
That’s all in the past, and although I’m still a reluctant flosser with less-than-perfect teeth, the state of my mouth is so much better since I learned.
Oral Health the Ayurvedic Way
Now, tongue-scraping and oil-pulling are part of my daily routine and I can’t imagine skipping either.
I no longer use toothpaste with fluoride and other chemical additives. The simpler, the better, I’ve found. Even plain baking soda does the trick.
I found this really comprehensive article by Melody Mischke on oral health from an Ayurvedic perspective. It’s definitely worth a read.
Remember that taking care of business in your mouth is way more than just cleaning out food particles. Your very life could depend on it.
Here’s to clean, healthy mouths, and gentle dentists.
Much love,
Barbara
Blogger’s Note: The Environmental Working Group (EWG), is an independent, nonprofit, environmental organization that specializes in research and advocacy in the areas of toxic chemicals, agricultural subsidies, public lands, and corporate accountability. For a list of toothpastes certified by the EWG, go to this page.
