The take home is that adding dried fruit and nuts to your dietary regimen will invigorate your connective tissue around your teeth. this is rally good news and actually one i happen to practise unintentionally
Costco has become my purveyor of choice for all this, not least because their throughput ensures no rancidity.
As a result i typically have a decent handful of dried fruit and nuts almost daily and yes my dental health has beren surprisingly good which was unexpected. Now i understand the linkage.
Centuries Old ‘Teeth Fixing Magic Formula’ Plus One Snack to Rescue Loose Teeth
Anne Lee
Dr. Hu Naiwen
https://www.theepochtimes.com/health/centuries-old-teeth-fixing-magic-formula-plus-one-snack-to-rescue-loose-teeth_5196790.html
Many people face dental health problems that often have a huge impact on their daily lives. (Shutterstock)
As we grow older, we may face oral health issues such as loose teeth and periodontal disease—some to the extent of requiring dentures, which can have a great impact on life.
According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 96 percent of U.S. adults aged 65 and older have had a cavity and as many as 1 in 5 have untreated tooth decay including loss of teeth. As many as 2 in 3 in the same age group have gum disease.
People who have no teeth or wear dentures often prefer soft, easily chewable foods to harder foods such as nuts, fresh fruits, and vegetables, which may affect having a balanced nutrient intake. Having a good mouthful of teeth is always a blessing that enables full chewing ability, making food easier to digest and absorb.
Hu Naiwen, is a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) practitioner at the Shanghai Tong De Tang Chinese Medicine Clinic in Taiwan. In his YouTube program, “Dr. Hu Nai Wen Health Seminars,” he shares some TCM recommendations, including food supplements for “fixing loose teeth” that were used in China more than 100 years ago.
Biting Dried Nuts for ‘Teeth Retraining’
Hu said that due to the increasingly refined diet in modern-day society, people’s teeth lack the chance to exercise to their full potential. He suggested that people with “soft” teeth can “retrain their teeth” by “biting” dried nuts every day. There are many nut choices for this purpose such as almonds, walnuts, pine nuts, peanuts, pumpkin seeds, and cashews. By repeatedly chewing dried fruits, you can strengthen your teeth and make your chewing muscles stronger.
In addition, chewing also promotes salivation, which improves the entire digestive process. Hu suggested that it is best to start practices such as proper chewing from a young age for a lifetime of healthy dental maintenance.
Biting nuts and seeds can strengthen teeth. (Courtesy of Dr. Hu Naiwen)
Diet Therapy Nourishes Kidneys and Strengthens Teeth
Hu said that TCM believes that the kidneys govern the bones, and the teeth are equivalent to the external manifestations of the bones. Therefore, the health of the kidneys and teeth are closely related. Kidney deficiency is the cause of a number of problems including loose teeth, so tonifying the kidneys can reinforce the teeth and make them stronger.
In a study published in the Journal of Periodontal Research in 2013, researchers equally divided 60 female Sprague-Dawley rats into three groups: a healthy control group, a periodontitis group, and a group given a Chinese medicine kidney formula used for periodontitis, known as Bu-Shen-Gu-Chi-Wan.
The results of the study showed that the Bu Shen Gu Chi Wan group exhibited many anti-inflammatory effects on the periodontal tissues of the rats, with “significant” changes to the alveolar bone volume and density.
Hu pointed out that not only the elderly will suffer from kidney deficiency when they age—kidney deficiency in children can also cause the teeth to lose the shiny enamel on the surface. He suggested that patients with dental disease eat more black dietary ingredients to nourish the kidneys, such as black beans, black sesame, black fungus, and silky chicken.
This is in accordance with TCM’s Five Elements Theory assigning the five colors “green, red, yellow, white, and black” to the five internal organs “liver, heart, spleen, lungs, and kidneys.”
Hu mentioned that he would also use Huan Shao Dan (Lycium formula) to treat dental problems of the elderly and children with kidney deficiency but reminded patients to consult a doctor and obtain a proper prescription before using it.
Black dietary ingredients such as black beans, black sesame, black fungus, and silky chicken have the effect of invigorating the kidneys and teeth. (Courtesy of Hu Naiwen)
Gargle With Atractylodes Solution to Treat Receding Gums
Periodontal disease is a chronic oral complication characterized by bleeding and loose teeth. Hu pointed out that such oral annoyance is not only caused by a bacterial infection or improper cleaning but is also closely related to physical fitness, so it needs to be treated according to individual conditions.
Periodontitis is one type of periodontal disease. A review study published in the International Dental Journal in 1998 pointed out that periodontitis may be caused by “stomach heat,” which is mainly manifested as redness, and swelling of the gums with occasional hemorrhage, suppuration, halitosis (foul breath), and oral ulcers, among others. In addition, periodontitis may also be caused by “kidney deficiency,” manifested as loose teeth, exposed tooth roots, and receding gums.
Hu quoted the ancient Chinese medicine classic “Huangdi Neijing (Yellow Emperor’s Canon of Internal Medicine)” as mentioning that when kidney deficiency becomes extremely serious, it will manifest in the mouth and face as “black face, long teeth with dirt,” which refers to conditions such as darkening of the face, receding gums, and tartar.
TCM believes that the kidney is the innate foundation, and the spleen is the acquired foundation of the lives. Maintaining the health of the kidneys, spleen, and stomach is closely related to the health of teeth and the oral cavity. Therefore, TCM treats receding gums by using Atractylodes macrocephala for nourishing the spleen and Rehmannia glutinosa for invigorating the kidneys.
Centuries-Old ‘Teeth Fixing Formula’ Saves Loose Teeth
Hu reminds us that every tooth is precious, so never let it retire early. While your teeth are still healthy, you should brush them well to help strengthen them and see your dentist regularly. Hu especially recommends the centuries-old TCM “Gu Chi Shen Fang (teeth fixing magic formula)” to save loose teeth (see recipe below).
“Gu Chi Shen Fang” comes from ” Chen Xiuyuan’s 72 Kinds of Medical Literatures” written by the eminent TCM physician in the Qing Dynasty. Chen wrote at that time, “There are lots of different prescriptions for treating teeth, but most of them are not very effective. There was once a person whose teeth started to decay after the age of 40, and three of his front teeth had already been lost.”
He obtained the Gu Chi Shen Fang formula from his younger brother who lived in Shi Xiangguo of Lu Nan in De Zhou. After using it for some time, the loose teeth became firm again, and other dental diseases also disappeared. After that, even after eating hot pot and fried food in winter, when bumps started to grow in between the gaps of the teeth, they were all gone with just a few rubbings with the “Gu Chi Shen Fang” powder. Chen believed that was the most effective prescription he has come across.
Preparation and Application of ‘Gu Chi Shen Fang’
Ingredients:
“Gu Chi Shen Fang” contains a total of 9 kinds of herbs mixed in the respective weights indicated in parenthesis for one portion:Green salt (about 0.7 ounces)
Gypsum (about 0.7 ounces)
Psoralen (about 0.6 ounces)
Zanthoxylum bungeanum (remove the core, about 0.2 ounces)
Angelica dahurica (about 0.2 ounces)
Mint (about 0.4 ounces)
Eclipta (about 0.4 ounces)
Saposhnikoviae radix (about 0.4 ounces)
Asarum (about 0.2 ounces)
Teeth-Fixing Magic Formula includes 9 kinds of herbs in a certain weight mix to form one portion. (Courtesy of Hu Naiwen)
Preparation and Application
First, grind the nine medicinal herbs into a fine powder, and pack in a sealed bottle as a tooth powder for later use. Take an appropriate amount (enough to cover the bristles) of this powder every time you brush your teeth. If you can, leave the tooth powder in your mouth for a while after brushing, and then rinse your mouth with water later. In this way, you can extract the best from it and greatly improve the condition of your teeth. Additionally, you can also dip your fingers into the tooth powder and apply it to the gum to provide further protection.
Since ancient times, salt has been considered a fantastic substance for medicinal use in TCM practice, and external application of salt can relieve pain. It is mentioned in the Chinese medicine classic “Qianjin Yaofang (Prescriptions Worth a Thousand Pieces of Gold for Emergencies)” that gargling with warm salt water, wiping teeth, and gargling with salt water every day can help prevent teeth from decaying or becoming loose.
“Asarum” (the ninth item in the above prescription) was one commonly used medicine for treating dental diseases in ancient China. It is recorded in another TCM classic “Shenghui Fang (Holy Benevolent Prescriptions)” that to treat foul breath and swollen gums, boil “Asarum” in water, extract the thick juice, and hold it in your mouth while it is still hot, then discard it once it turns cold.
A research review published in the European Journal of Pharmacology in 2020 also mentioned that many low-cost natural medicines have antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, and have few side effects. Herbal therapies have both analgesic and soothing effects and are often applied as part of dental alternative therapies.
*Some herbs mentioned in this article may be unfamiliar, but they are generally available in Asian supermarkets.
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