Alternative Treatment for Gum Disease

Gum disease can be a painful and frightening experience. When your mouth hurts, sometimes it's hard to see the cause, and pain in your mouth can often feel worse than it really is. Left untreated, gum disease can lead to further infection--including tooth or gum loss. Herbal medicine offers a variety of options that range from gentle to powerful herbal cures that can help get rid of gum disease naturally.

Cranberry

• Cranberries help treat the causes and symptoms of gum disease. According to The Cranberry Institute, recent research of cranberry-based mouthwash showed an increase in dental health and a decrease in the incidence of gum disease. Cranberry juice cocktails contain sugar that can contribute to gum disease, so make sure to get unsweetened cranberry juice if you intend to use it to treat gum disease.

Tea Tree Oil

• According to The One Earth Herbal Sourcebook by Dr. Alan Tillotson, tea tree oil has immune healing and infection-fighting properties that make it a powerful treatment for gum disease. Tea tree oil dissolves pus and fights infection while helping healthy tissue heal by increasing white blood cells. Tea tree solutions administered as an oral mouthwash are effective in reducing mouth and gum sores caused by fungal infections.

Turmeric Root

• Turmeric root is a bitter-tasting herb that reduces gum inflammation and the pain associated with infections in the gums. Turmeric stimulates your body to remove toxins that might inhibit your immune system. The immune system boost promoted by turmeric helps your body heal gum disease on its own. Tillotson suggests taking 500mg of turmeric three times daily. If you like heavy spices in your food, you can include turmeric in breads or dinner dishes to make it an easy part of your day.

Peppermint

• A soothing and tasty remedy, peppermint has been shown to have anti-inflammatory effects. Peppermint is commonly used in a paste with ginger and honey to heal gum disease and cool the painful effects of the infection. According to Tillotson, you can take peppermint to help you mask the bad breath associated with gingivitis. Peppermint is common in many mouthwashes at the drugstore, but you can also use peppermint in tea form to avoid the alcohol.

Bloodroot

• According to Tillotson, one of the most common herbs used to treat gum disease is blood root. According to Holistic Online, blood root--also known as sanguinariat--has alkaloids that help reduce inflammation and fight gum infections. Blood root is typically taken in a tea or tincture; Holistic Online suggests a dose of 1 tsp. in hot tea three times per day. Larger doses of blood root act as a powerful sedative that can be fatal, so if you have concerns about the herb, contact a doctor or qualified herbalist.