Pyorrhoea is advanced gum disease: infection that spreads from the gums to the bone holding the teeth, causing
bleeding, pus, bad breath and eventually loose teeth. It is preventable and, caught early, very treatable.
Ayurveda's daily oral-care routine (dinacharya) is a helpful companion to professional dental cleaning.
What is pyorrhoea?
A sticky film of bacteria (plaque) forms on teeth every day. If it is not removed, it hardens into tartar
(calculus) along the gum line and the gums become inflamed — this early, reversible stage is
gingivitis. Left untreated, the infection moves below the gum line, forming pockets and
destroying the ligament and bone that anchor the teeth. This is periodontitis, commonly called
pyorrhoea (from the Greek for “flow of pus”). It is one of the main causes of tooth loss in adults.
Cloves, cardamom and fennel are traditional mouth fresheners, but they do not treat gum disease — regular brushing and dental care do.
Causes & risk factors
Irregular or rushed brushing, and not cleaning between the teeth
Smoking and chewing tobacco, gutka or paan — these also hide bleeding, so disease goes unnoticed
Diabetes — gum disease is more common and more severe, and in turn makes sugar harder to control
Hormonal changes in pregnancy, which make gums bleed more easily
Crowded teeth, old fillings or crowns that trap food
Dry mouth from medicines, stress, poor nutrition (especially low vitamin C) and family history
Warning signs
Gums that bleed when brushing or flossing — the earliest and most commonly ignored sign
Red, swollen or tender gums
Persistent bad breath or a bad taste in the mouth
Pus between the teeth and gums
Gums pulling back so that teeth look longer; new gaps between teeth
Loose teeth or a change in how your teeth fit together when you bite
Dental treatment
Hardened tartar cannot be brushed or rinsed away — it must be removed by a dentist. Treatment usually starts with
professional scaling and root planing (deep cleaning below the gum line), sometimes with antibiotics. Advanced
cases may need gum surgery or bone grafts. A check-up and cleaning every 6 months keeps the disease from
returning. Ayurvedic rinses and oil pulling work best on a mouth that has had this cleaning.
Ayurvedic view
Remove the cause (plaque) → cleanse and tighten the gums with astringent, bitter herbs → balance Kapha and Pitta → strengthen digestion.
Ayurveda describes several diseases of the gums (dantamoola roga). Swollen, bleeding gums with pus and
loosening teeth correspond closely to Dantaveshtaka and Upakusha, attributed to vitiated
Rakta (blood), Pitta and Kapha. Neglect of daily mouth care and poor digestion producing
ama are considered root causes. Treatment relies on astringent (kashaya) and bitter herbs used
as tooth powders, gargles and medicated oils, together with blood-purifying internal medicines.
Daily oral care
Brush twice a day for 2 minutes with a soft brush and fluoride toothpaste, angling the bristles towards the gum line.
Clean between the teeth once a day with floss or an interdental brush.
Scrape the tongue each morning (jihva nirlekhana) with a copper or steel scraper.
Stop tobacco in all forms; keep diabetes well controlled.
Eat vitamin C–rich foods — amla, guava, citrus — and limit sticky sweets between meals.
Kavala / Gandusha
Oil pulling
Swish 1 tbsp cold-pressed sesame or coconut oil around the mouth for 5–10 minutes, spit it into a bin (not the sink) and rinse. Studies show a modest reduction in plaque — an extra, not a replacement for brushing.
Gargle
Triphala rinse
Boil 1 tsp Triphala powder in a cup of water, cool and strain. Rinse twice a day. Its astringency helps tone bleeding gums.
Traditional
Herbal tooth sticks
Neem or babool (Acacia) twigs chewed into a brush (datun) are the classical dantadhavana; use gently to avoid injuring the gums.
Herbs used in Ayurveda
Irimedadi taila — the classical medicated oil for gum massage and oil pulling
Khadira (Acacia catechu) and Babool — astringent, used in gum pastes and powders
Neem, Haridra (turmeric) and Yashtimadhu (liquorice) — antibacterial and soothing
Triphala and Kaishore Guggulu — internally, to support digestion and blood purification (on a physician's advice)
When to seek care
See a dentist soon if your gums bleed for more than a week, or if teeth feel loose. Seek urgent care for:
Swelling of the face, jaw or neck, especially with fever
A painful, throbbing lump on the gum (abscess)
Difficulty opening the mouth, swallowing or breathing
