Self hygiene is the basic thing which keeps us healthy physically and socially. Hygiene is the only thing that gives an impression, before the person we meet. Naturally when oral hygiene of a person is poor, we hesitate to talk. So, brushing teeth plays a major role. In health point of view, good oral hygiene leads to good health. And it is considered as a daily regimen.
Ayurveda has given a different angle towards the knowledge of brushing. It says, when a person wake up, he must analyze himself deeply whether the food consumed in the previous night has been digested. After confirming that it has been digested, he can come out of the bed and begin with the routine life. The person has to eliminate the feces and urine before brushing. Now he is eligible for brushing teeth.
It is very important to think towards this ideology. The digestive process and the eliminatory process are inter linked. In order to understand the level of digestion, acharya has adviced to go for micturition and defecation immediately after waking up from the bed. So, it is good idea to brush after defecation.
Formation of coat over tongue and teeth; feeling of distaste and lazy are seen in mornings. Brushing restores taste and freshness in the mouth. Herbs of kashaya (astringent), katu (pungent) and tikta (bitter) taste helps to open the taste buds, kills the germs deposited in the mouth and promotes salivation. When taste perception and salivation are good, digestion process will be good. That’s why it is said that digestion process starts from the mouth.
Now a day we use tooth brush, pastes and mouth gel for oral cleansing. In olden days, people used arka (உலர்ந்த எருக்கு, Calotropis gigantea) nyagrodha (ஆல், Acacia catechu), karanja (புங்கை, Caesalpinia bonducella) and kakuba (வேல், Terminalia arjun) like herbal twigs, medicated oils and warm water for the same. These twigs having above said tastes which promote digestion. Medicated oil are used for gargling which helps for strengthening the gums. And it is followed by warm water gargling which helps to remove the sliminess.
Interstingly the text also has mentionend about contraindications for brushing. Indigestion, vomitting, dyspnea, cough, fever, facial paralysis, thirst, mouth ulcers, GERD, eye ailments, ailments localised in head, ailments of ear. But make sure that you dont rise this as an excuse for lyour laziness before going to office.
-Dr.Manasa Suneel Krishnan