Cancer Prevention and Life Style – 3
After waking and properly emptying our trash generally our next step will be oral cavity cleaning like teeth brushing and mouth wash etc., as oral cavity being the main door for our GIT and oral health is the key indicator of overall health, wellbeing and quality of life1. Among the tools and techniques adopted for oral health depends on the culture or region of our stay or family etc., Ayurveda methods are best as they not only provides best hygiene but also prevent being an victim of oral cancer.
The methods and tools are ;
- Dantadhavana (Teeth brushing) : Herbal twigs having Astringent, Pungent and Bitter taste are recommended for teeth brushings after chewing one end of twig to get it soft fibres (bristles like). Presently herbal powders are available and with the help of tooth brush brushing to be done in up and downwards direction. Particular taste of herbs to be used are ;
- Astringent taste of herbs are known for healing ulcer by squeezing; reduce ulcer area, purifying; cleaning bring good blood supply and reduce excess moisture; allowing healing.
- Pungent taste of herbs are known for reducing swelling, eradicate abrasive ulcer margins; facilitate wound healing, induce dryness; reduces excess moisture, enhance perception of taste, improve circulation by irritation and vasodilation
- Bitter taste destroys micro or macro organisms, beneficial in Visha– poison (toxic), excessive moisture in mouth and burning sensation best throat detoxification
In cancer : Using the herbs having Astringent, Pungent and Bitter taste will not only helps for oral hygiene by strengthening gum tissue, anti-cavity action, reduces plaque, antibacterial effect, preventing tooth decay and loss, reduce changes of infections, facilitate salivary secretion, anti-bacterial action, anti-cariogenic (prevent tooth decay) properties by sustaining as well as establishing physiology and since they are best in healing ulcers as any unhealedulcer more than 14 days is prone to cancer.
- Jihwaanirlekhana : (tongue cleaning) done by the twigs of any of the drugs mentioned for brushing or any other alternatives like those mentioned classically – Swarna (gold), Rajata (silver), Tamra (copper), etc. It shouldn’t be teekshna (sharp) and it has to be curve in shape.
Tongue cleaning removes coating as well as improve blood circulation, stimulate nerve endings and taste buds for proper perception of taste. Properly stimulated buds facilitate right amount of saliva secretion while chewing food which is essential for proper digestion of ingested food.
- Kavala / Gandusha : This procedure is commonly known as oil pulling though it is not just limited to oil, as herbal decoction, honey, warm water or warm saline etc. are used according to need. Generally mouth rinsing with oil has both oral and systemic health benefits, prevent decay, bleeding gums, mouth & throat dryness, strengthen gums, teeth and jaw.
In cancer : Oral sub Oral submucous fibrosis (OSMF) is an insidious chronic disease affecting any part of the oral cavity and sometimes the pharynx with epithelial atrophy leading to stiffness of the oral mucosa resulting in inability to eat and pronounce properly as it restrict the opening of mouth (Tismus). More serious complication of this disease is the risk of the development of oral carcinoma4.
In this condition Kalavais specific treatment to induce Snehana i.e., Stickiness, Lubricating, Greasiness, Smoothness, Unctuousness, Tenderness, Softness, Oiliness to normalizesub-mucosal fibrosis and easily prevent one becoming the victim of oral cancer and throat cancer
- https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/oral-health (Accessed on 13th March2020)
- https://www.icmr.nic.in/sites/default/files/guidelines/Buccal%20Mucosa%20Cancer%20final%20pdf%209.6.14.pdf
- https://oralcancerfoundation.org/facts/ (Accessed on 13th March2020)
- https://www.hindawi.com/journals/crid/2014/842578/ (Assessed on 17th March 2020)