For thousands of years, Mustard Oil has been a part of Indian dental care and home remedies for toothaches. Back in those days, there was no concept of toothpaste in the modern sense of the word. Instead a mixture of Mustard Oil and salt was rubbed on the teeth and massaged on the gums as a part of everyday oral hygiene.
Now contemporary medical research shows that this ancient concoction was indeed an ideal way to keep one’s teeth and gums healthy. One study published in the Journal of the Indian Society of Periodontology shows that massaging the teeth and gums with 0.32 gram of salt in 5 millilitres of Mustard Oil preceded by scalar and root planing (SRP) with ultrasonic scalar led to a significant reduction in the risks associated with Periodontal disease – a chronic inflammation that destroys the Peridontium and sometimes results in the loss of teeth.
Mustard Oil is known to have powerful antibacterial, antimicrobial, antifungal and anti-inflammatory properties. All these go a long way in fighting infections inside the mouth, maintaining oral hygiene and keeping your teeth and gums healthy.
Both Mustard Oil and salt are common items found in almost every Indian kitchen. So go ahead and make your own oral healthcare formulation at home. Use it to massage your teeth and gums regularly – and smile!