Susruta Samhita - Mandhata Global

Chap. XXIV.] CHIKITSA STHANAM. 48
The teeth should be daily cleansed with (a com-
pound consisting of) honey, powdered Tri-katu, Tri-
varga*, Tej'ovati, Saindhava and oil. Each tooth should
be separately cleansed with the preceding cleansing paste
applied on (the top of the twig bitten into the form of)
a soft brush, and care should be taken not to hurt the
gum anywise during the rubbing. This tends to
cleanse and remove the bad smell (from the mouth) and
the uncleanliness (of the teeth) as well as to subdue the
Kapha (of the body). It cleanses the mouth and
also produces a good relish for food and a cheerfulness
ofmind-j*. 4,
Cases where tooth-brushing is forbidden
:—Tooth-brushing is forbidden to the persons
suffering from affections of the teeth, lips, throat,
palate, or tongue, or from stomatitis, cough, asthma,
hiccough and vomiting, weakness, indigestion,
epilepsy, head-disease, thirst, fatigue, alcoholism, facial
paralysis, ear-ache, and to persons tired with over-
drinking. 5.
* The term "Tri-varga" generally means Tri-katu, Tri-phal^ and
Tri-mada. Dallana explains it as meaning Tri-sugandhi, i.e.^ Tvak, Eld
and Patra.— Ed.
+ Additional Texts :— It brings on a relish for food, imparts a
cleanliness, lightness and sense of freedom to the teeth, tongue, lips and
palate. It protects the mouth, throat, palate, lips and tongue from being
afTected by any disease. It arrests salivation, imparts an agreeable aroma
to the mouth and relieves nausea and water brush. It strengthens the
religious inclination and gives a lightness to the organs. Hence one
should every day use the tooih-lwig, but its use is prohibited in respect
of persons suffering from diseases of the palate, lips or tongue as well as
from Mukha-pakaKslomatitis), dyspnoea, hiccough, parchedness of the
mouth and nausea. The last two lines of the additional text, however,
occur in the text in a .^lightly different form. See the next two lines of the
text.
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