AYURVEDIC APPROACHES TO FUNDAMENTAL ORAL HEALTH CARE

Oral health is an important part of a person’s overall well-being and quality of life. Oral health includes a person’s ability to confidently speak, smile, smell, taste, swallow and even convey different emotions through facial expressions. Altered oral health can cause pain, suffering, and decreased productivity and affects the self-esteem of a person. Improving oral health and hygiene benefits the entire system, i.e., the tissues of the mouth itself, the digestive system, and the deeper tissues that correlate with our oral health. Oral diseases are one of the leading causes of disability in India and affect all age groups irrespective of socio-economic factors. Ayurveda explains several practices or procedures of Dinacharya (daily regimen) like Dantadhavana, Jihvanirlekhana, Kavala, Gandusha, Pratisarana and Tambula Sevana which are fruitful in maintaining oral health/hygiene and preventing oral disorders. In addition to the procedures, Ayurveda describes various herbs with pharmacological effects, such as antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, anti-ulcer, etc., which are useful for maintaining oral health. These strategies and the use of such potential herbs can be practiced along with daily brushing and flossing to promote optimal oral health and hygiene. KEYWORDS: Ayurveda, Dinacharya, Oral hygiene, Hygiene.