Читать книгу Holistic Herbal: A Safe and Practical Guide to Making and Using Herbal Remedies - David Hoffmann - Страница 91

When problems arise, teeth must be treated by a dentist, but herbs can be helpful to prevent tooth decay.

Long before toothbrushes made of bristle or plastic were developed, roots like Marshmallow, Liquorice, Alfalfa or Horseradish were used to clean teeth. Liquorice Root for instance can be prepared very easily, simply by peeling the bark off one end and flaying the fibres. Marshmallow Root needs somewhat more preparation: choose a straight root and cut it into 5 inch pieces. Peel the ends and boil in water, together with Cinnamon Sticks and Cloves until the sticks are tender. Put them carefully—as they break easily—into brandy and let them soak for a day. Take them out and let them dry. Before you use them, soak the end for a short time in hot water. You will not even need to use toothpaste, since all the necessary ingredients are in the root. It has a nice taste too.

If you want to use toothpaste, many herbal ones are now available, the best being those that contain the anti-microbial herbs Myrrh and Echinacea.

For a first aid treatment of toothache, chew some Cloves, as they are rich in the analgesic oil eugenol. Alternatively, you can soak a pad of cotton wool in Clove oil and place it by the tooth. Peppermint oil also acts as an analgesic, but it is not as effective.