Toothe Preparations

Tooth Powder for Bleeding or Spongy Gums Grind up tanninrich herbs such as witch hazel leaves, yellow dock leaves, and bayberry leaves, and strain through a fine mesh or muslin. Use either as a tooth powder, or add boiling water, cool it off, and rinse the preparation through the mouth once or twice a day.

Sage Tooth Powder

Several handfuls sage leaves 1 handful sea salt

With a mortar and pestle, grind the leaves into the salt, and bake that in the oven until it is a green hard mass. Grind it again into a fine powder. Place it in a short but wide mouthed ointment jar with a lid. Label. Keep the jar over the sink. Use this powder instead of toothpaste. The sage is helpful in eliminating many yellow tooth stains and has a clean taste.

Papaya Comfrey Myrrh Powder


6-ounces glycerine
4-ablespoons papaya leaf powder
2-tablespoons comfrey root powder
2-tablespoons cornfrey leaf powder
4-tablespoons myrrh powder (or 30 drops tincture of myrrh)
16-tablespoons (or 8 ounces) bone meal powder

Mix together the glycerine, papaya powder, and cornfrey powder (all root or all leaf may be used instead of the combination). Place in tightly lidded jar, and steep for two days. Blend in the myrrh and bone meal to make a paste. Add or omit bone meal depending on the texture desired.

Marshmallow Toothbrush

Marshmallow roots cut into five inch lengths
1-stick cinnamon

Brandy to soak

Peel and unravel the two ends of the five inch roots and boil with a stick of cinnamon until the roots are tender. Soak in brandy. Dry in the sun or oven or warm room with circulating air. Soak in warm water to use.

The French children were once given marshmallow roots to teethe on.

Toothache Chew cloves. If the gum is sore and there is no known cavity causing the toothache, dip the cloves in hot honey and briefly chew the cloves. For other temporary relief, place a small amount of cayenne pepper powder in the decayed tooth.

Bruised fennel plant applied externally will relieve both toothache and earache. Saturate a small wad of absorbent cotton with peppermint oil or diluted essence of peppermint, and place into decayed tooth for quick temporary relief of a toothache.

Loose Teeth Folk legend has it that young blackberry shoots eaten in great quantities as a salad will help to fasten the teeth to the gums. See also goldenseal and myrrh.