Herbs and essential oils Gum Disease: A Healing Combo

To help reduce inflammation and swelling of gum tissue, use a combination of herbal tinctures and essential oils, says a dentist in California. Mix 2 � ounces each of Echinacea, thyme, and cinnamon bark tinctures with four to six drops each of eucalyptus oil, lavender oil, peppermint oil, and vegetable glycerin.

Dip a perio-aid a wooden toothpick with plastic handle into the solution and gently clean the crevice that surrounds each tooth by inserting the toothpick parallel to the tooth, as if you were cleaning your cuticles. Gently work below the gum line on each tooth, being careful not to tear the gum tissue. Do this every evening before going to bed, recommends Doctor. This type of cleaning is not painful, but the first few cleanings may be uncomfortable if you gums are inflamed, says Doctor.

If you don�t have the time, energy, or inclination to make this herbal mixture, consider buying Tooth and Gum Tonic, manufactured by the Dental Herb Company. This product, available through dentists, contains all of the above ingredients and was highly recommended by Doctor. You can use Tooth and Gum Tonic with a perio-aid as described above, says Doctor.

Alternatively, you can use it as a mouth rinse, in an irrigator or for brushing (just pour a little of the solution in the palm of your hand and dip your toothbrush in it).

MAGNETIZED ORAL IRRIGATOR: Take Charge of Plaque

Regular oral irrigators clean deep inside the �pockets� of diseased gums where bacteria live. But an irrigator with a magnet in the handle does more than merely clean, says Doctor. It polarizes the water so that the teeth have a positive charge and the bacteria a negative charge. One study found that patients who used a magnetized irrigator had 64 percent less calculus, the hardened layer of plaque that forms on teeth, than those who used typical irrigator. You can find irrigators with magnetic handles at some health food stores and through mail-order suppliers.