Herbs for Healthy Teeth and Gums
The ailment du jour in the clinic seems to be mouth and gum problems. There is usually a popular ailment at any given time; sometimes it's eczema, chest colds, or Molluscum. Recently, it's been mouth problems. Most common mouth problems - ulcers, chronic thrush, tooth decay and gum disease - can be due to a poor diet, high in refined sugar and low in minerals and vitamins, particularly in childhood.
They can be due to smoking, heavy drinking, drug use, or a combination. Other causes include systemic diseases like Lupus or Sjögren's, gut diseases like Coeliac or Crohn’s, chronic infection with Herpes or other viruses, or seeming bad luck: bad teeth and gums often run in families. Bad teeth and gums tend to so distressing because they are most unsightly and can result in tooth loss. Other problems tend to accompany more obviously complex conditions and people come to me with them as part of a wider set of symptoms.
Dental caries, or tooth decay, are, like age related decline in one's vision, often thought of as inevitable and rather depressingly final. They're not. While enamel itself does not really regenerate, the tougher dentine that forms the tooth's main structure does regenerate, and can in fact be denser and more resilient after injury. Chips and damage to teeth can heal as well as wounds to flesh; bodies are wonderful things. Some herbs can also help with remineralisation, Dandelion and Nettle being well known for it. Avoiding sugar, with regular brushing - preferably with an electric toothbrush - and careful flossing, combined with regular trips to the dentist, are obvious steps one can take to maintain the pearly whites.
Gum disease can be a trickier beast. There is gingivitis, or gum inflammation, with spongy swollen gums that bleed on brushing, and which can - but frequently does not - progress to the more severe periodontitis. Periodontitis, inflammation of the tissues around the teeth, presents with gum recession, bone loss around the teeth, and weakening of the connective tissues that anchor teeth in the jaw. As the gums recede from the teeth, infection sets in, inflammation begins in the sockets and anchoring ligaments, and over time the surrounding bone erodes, the teeth become loose, and may eventually fall out. It’s a fairly grim picture. Additionally, pyorrhoea, infected purulent areas around teeth, is common with periodontitis, contributing to pain and bad breath. But, there is a lot that a hygienist and dentist can do to arrest or slow progression, and a good oral care regime at home makes much of the difference. It is also well worth discussing with both dentist and doctor whether some underlying systemic disease is at work, especially if you have symptoms such as joint pain, fatigue, digestive problems, blood in your stool, dry mouth and eyes, or a known autoimmune condition.
Herbally, there is a lot we can do to reduce inflammation and hinder the colonies of interloping microorganisms that cause periodontitis. Mouthwashes with Myrrh, Echinacea, Clove, and other anti-infective herbs, regulate bacteria, eliminating obvious infections and relieving pain. The anti-infective herbs used for mouth problems also have astringent properties, meaning that they tighten the tissues, reducing swelling and the bogginess which contributes to bleeding. Myrrh resin is a particular favourite because it is so anti-infective and astringent but not water soluble - so it hangs around in the mouth much longer than other herbs. Too bad about the taste, but you can't win ‘em all.
Echinacea is also anti-infective, as most everyone knows, and it works particularly well long term for stubborn, deep-seated, chronic infections. The precise mode is not quite known. It is thought that one way Echi works is by physically making cells walls and the basic matrix of tissues stronger and denser, and therefore less susceptible to infection. It’s a wall mender, if you will. Oak bark is a traditional and unsurpassed strengthener of gums and fixer of teeth when used as mouthwash. It is credited, even in modernity, with near miraculous abilities to fix loose teeth and improve the condition of badly diseased gums.
And when bone loss has set in and remineralisation is needed, Dandelion - root, leaf, or a combination - is tops. The Dandelion can be combined with other mineral rich herbs such as Plantain, Nettle, and Horsetail, for added punch and to address systemic mineral deficiencies. And Sage, anti-infective, astringent, and circulation-stimulating, wouldn’t go amiss either. There are many other herbs one can use - Marigold, Yarrow, Goldenseal, Thyme - to improve the health of teeth and gums, and in clinic I have been using them all.
The first line of defense against tooth decay and gum disease though, is twice or thrice daily brushing combined with flossing; a diet low in sugar and high in nutritious whole foods; not smoking; moderate drinking; and avoiding sodas and fizzy drinks. Should those methods fail, the herbs are here to help.