The aromas of flower and herb essences have healing effects on the body. This can be related to the mind-body healing system. Have you noticed that some scents make you feel good and that you are repelled by others?
Aromatherapy can be used either in private practice or in your home. Aromatherapy uses essential oils to aid in heal- ing. These oils are the natural distilled essences of plants, herbs, and flowers—considered to be the heart and soul of the plant.
For most of us, eucalyptus may have been our first con- nection to aromatherapy. Do you remember having a cold and having had Vicks VapoRub rubbed onto your chest? The massage may have felt good and opened your sinuses, but more important, you felt better. The eucalyptus used in VapoRub is one of the essential oils. Eucalyptus can ener- gize you, and you can awaken the senses readily with this aroma. It is also used for opening the passages to the sinus cavities, reducing any tendency to breathe through the mouth.
Some oils, including lavender, chamomile, and rose, are calming. Lavender relaxes the body. Used in the evening, it can even help you sleep. I personally use lavender oil on the inside of my hands when I work on patients. This expedites the healing process that I am trying to achieve on the gum tis- sue. I also have a candle lit with the essence of lavender inside it. While we all know that a dental office does not have the reputation for being relaxing, I can’t get my patients out of the chair when I use aromatherapy to help heal their gums!
Essential oils act on the adrenals, ovaries, and other organs. Since they can energize, pacify, detoxify, and work on the digestive system, they are an aid to healing gum tis- sue. Each oil’s therapeutic properties also make it effective for treating gum infections, as well as infection in other parts of the body. These oils are also mood regulators and can enhance your immune system by elevating your mood.
The different essences can control heart rate, blood pressure, breathing, memory, and stress levels, too. When the essen- tial oils help elevate your mood and reduce anxiety, they reduce the need for antidepressants, which may cause dry mouth and toxicity. All this helps your chances of reversing gum disease naturally.
Essential oils can be applied in a massage, used in a bath, inhaled in steam, and sprayed into the air. In Europe, they are prescribed by doctors for their patients. The cost of essential oils varies tremendously, ranging from $3 a half ounce for some citrus fragrances to $400 or more for rose oil. The prices are so high for rose essence because it takes thousands of rose petals to generate a tiny amount of rose oil, whereas citrus products are plentiful and their oil is easy to extract.
Aromatherapy in the Home for Gum Care
Aromatherapy is ideal for home use. Most health food stores carry a wide variety of essential oils. The following are some ideas on how to use these essential oils at home for gum care.
• Daily hygiene:Gentle oils such as eucalyptus radiata, niaouli, andravensara aromatica can be used on the skin before or after a shower. Put lavender oil on your wrists when you start your daily hygiene routine, espe- cially in the evening, to enhance healing of the gum tissue.
• Stress:A drop of anise oil with a spoonful of honey helps to relieve gastrointestinal cramping. Stress can be a major cause of gum disease, and anise oil will help soothe your intestinal system and increase your body’s chances to fight off gum disease.
• Energy:Most of us need more energy in the morning and evening. Black spruce and peppermint are effec- tive stimulants that work by strengthening the adrenal cortex. The resulting energy will then enhance your hygiene routine and boost your immune system so that it fights off disease and infection. It will also stimulate the blood flow to bring the gum tissue to a healthier state.
• Relaxation:Essential oils, such as lavender or chamo- mile, can be diffused in the air. Buy a diffuser and place the essential oils on the heated tray to have the essence diffused in the air to create a relaxing atmos- phere. Lavender oil added to the bath or sprayed in
your bedroom will relax you during sleep. The deep body relaxation afforded by sleep is imperative to heal- ing any of your body parts, including your gums.
Various Essential Oils Mandarin Oil
Mandarin oil is especially good to use with young children, as it helps to relax them. If your children are relaxed, you are more apt to be relaxed. Mandarin can also reduce anxiety for adults, thus creating a more positive outlook and helping your gums to heal faster.
Chamomile Oil
This oil will calm an upset mind or tense body. A drop or two rubbed on the solar plexus can reduce the tense and upset parts of your body.
Rosemary Oil
This oil has similar benefits to those of toothpaste because it activates the metabolism in the outer layer of the skin and improves cell regeneration needed for healthy gums.
Geranium Oil
This is an oil with antifungal and antiviral properties. It is gentle to the skin and can be used for topical application.
Holistic therapies, which include holistic products, help access the body’s healing potential. Many of these natural herbs are old remedies that have been rediscovered to
enhance the natural healing processes of the gums. Herbs have always been integral to the practice of medicine, and modern medicine uses plants in pharmaceutical medicine. It is interesting to note that in modern medicine, pure herbs are rarely used, probably due to the fact that you cannot patent a natural product.
However, the demand for natural, holistic care products has been increasing. Even though it is an old treatment method, it is rarely used in modern medicine, and is even less common in the prevention of gum disease. Many health food stores now have their shelves stocked with natural herbal products, but it has been only in the last five years that these products have become available in commercial drug chains.
The mouth needs nurturing and healing products to induce a natural reversal of gum disease. Unfortunately, many of us take out our anger on our teeth’s fragile gum tissue. (If you realize this, then you are already ahead of the game.) Oral therapeutics, however, strive for healing of the gum tissue.
Healing of any tissue of the body needs proper guidance with the right products, and most of all, our own loving touch.
“Therapeutics” refers to energy transference and is simply the use of heart energy. We use the energy of our hearts when we love to do something—such as eating a certain food, lov- ing a person, or even caring for an animal or plant. This nur- turing and heart energy combine to create a therapeutic effect.
Therapeutic touch is used as an energy healing system in many American medical facilities and hospitals. It operates on the premise that the healing force of the therapist affects the healing force within the patient. Yet healing through the use of