Sensitive Teeth – Causes, Symptoms, Ayurvedic Treatment

Sensitive teeth is called Dantaharsha in Ayurveda. It is caused by imbalanced vata and pitta leading to tingling and hypersensitiveness of the teeth.

Dantaharsha Introduction, pathogenesis, symptoms

Danta = teeth
Harsha = excessive sensitiveness / tingling
Read – Tooth Ache Tree Remedies: Gum Pain, Sensitive Tooth, Tonsillitis

Category –
Dantaharsha can be grossly classified under Mukhagata Rogas (diseases of oral cavity).
Dantaharsha occurs in the teeth. Therefore it is included under Danta gata rogas (diseases of teeth).
Dantagata rogas is the sub-category under Mukhagata Rogas.
Read – Ayurvedic Remedies and Treatment for Dental Plaque And Tartar

Pathogenesis
When the vitiated vata and pitta afflict the teeth, they cause excessive sensitiveness and intolerance to cold things in the teeth. This condition is called dantaharsha.
Read – Bleeding Gums – Ayurvedic Treatment, Home Remedies

Symptoms of Dantaharsha Teeth Disorder

• Sheeta ashahtvam – intolerance to cold substances like cold water, cold juices etc and teeth will tingle and become sensitive when one consumes anything cold.
• Ruksha asahitvam – intolerance to dry food substances
• Pravata asahishnuta – intolerance to cold breeze (when the teeth gets exposed to cold air / breeze)
• Amla asahishnuta – intolerance to sour food substances and drinks (when one happens to eat or drink anything sour in taste)
• Sparsha akshamatva / asahishnuta – intolerance to touch
• Amla ashanena eva rujah chalita iva – when the person eats sour foods, the person suffers from tooth pain and feel that the tooth is loose and movable
  Read – 3 Ayurvedic Home Remedies For Toothache: Garlic Paste, Mustard Oil

Correlation, Sanskrit, Treatment

Modern correlation –
This condition can be compared to a condition called ‘odontitis’ explained in modern medicine, in which occurs inflammation of teeth. When there is inflammation of teeth, the person will experience hypersensitivity, tingling, numbness and sensitiveness to cold and sour foods. (read more)

Treatment of Dantaharsha Gum Disorder
Kavala – Gandusha – Partial and full mouth gargles are very beneficial in treating sensitive teeth and inflammation of teeth.

Mouth rinse / oil pulling with fats – Chaturvidha sneha kavala dharana – The four types of fats i.e. ghee, oil, bone marrow and muscle fat, either single or in combinations should be used warm for partial mouth gargles (wherein the medicines i.e. fats should be kept in the mouth, partially filled and gargled).
Buy Dhantadavana Tooth Powder of Sitaram Ayurveda

Fats strengthen bone tissues including teeth:
This is a unique and true concept of Ayurveda. In the order of nutrition flow, the nutrition flows from fats to bone tissue. Hence, fats nourish bone tissues as well. Teeth are partially considered as bone tissue as per Ayurveda.
Hence, oil pulling with sesame oil or Irimedadi taila is very useful to strengthen teeth and to treat carries.

Pain and sensitivity is due to Vata Dosha. Hence, pain and Vata relieving oils such as Mahanarayana oil and Dhanwantaram oil are also very beneficial for oil pulling.

Traivrut ghrita kavala dharana – Ghee processed with paste of Trivrit (Operculina turpethum) should be partially filled in the mouth in warm condition and gargled. (read about Trivrit)
Gargle with Vata balancing herbal teas –
Gargle with herbal teas prepared with any of below herbs is very beneficial.
Neem, Guduchi – potent anti bacterial herb
Triphala, Khadira (Acacia catechu) – Astringent herbs help to strengthen teeth.

Swishing with Vata balancing herbal teas: Full mouth gargle should be done with decoction prepared from vata alleviating herbs – such as Bala (Sida cordifolia), Ashwagandha, Dashamoola (group of 10 roots).
(medicine is held to full capacity in the mouth by the person suffering from hypersensitiveness of the teeth and gargled).

Mustard oil – oil pulling: Sarshapa taila gandusha – full mouth gargle with only mustard oil is also beneficial for sensitive tooth.
Read – How To Do Oil Pulling In Genuine Ayurvedic Way?

Oushadha siddha taila gandusham – full mouth gargle shall be done with one of the below mentioned medicated oils –

• Prasarini Taila (read more)
• Narayana Tailam (read more)

Snaihika dhuma – Medicated smoking using fats and unctuous substances are indicated in sensitive teeth.
Snaihika Nasya – Nasal instillation of medicines, mainly medicated ghee or oil is one of the best remedies for sensitive teeth.
Read – Nasya Karma Procedure, Types, Benefits, Contra Indications

Medicines, diet

Ayurvedic medicines useful in sensitive teeth and dental caries:
Neem based medicines – Panchanimbadi Vati, Nimbadi kashayam tablet, Nimbadi kashayam, Neem decoction
Astringent decoctions – Triphala Kashaya, Triphala Churna

Krumihara – anti bacterial medicines – Vidangadi lauha, Vidangarishta.
Pain relieving medicines – Guggulu, Shallaki tablets, Yogaraja Guggulu, Maharasnadi kashaya

Herbal tooth powders: With astringent herbs such as Khadira is very beneficial. Make your own tooth powder combination

Formulations for Danta soola From Sahasra Yoga Text Book
Punkhadi Taila
Ramathadi Taila
Jati Manyaladi Taila
Kayyonyadi Taila

Useful diet and drinks –
Snigdha bhojana – foods having fats or made with fats i.e. oil and ghee should be served.
Mamsarasa / Mamsarasa siddha yavagu – meat soup or gruel processed with meat juice should be served as part of diet.
Dugdha pana – Drinking milk is ideal for sensitive teeth. (read – Milk Benefits in Ayurveda)
Santanika – Cream / foam / coagulated milk should be consumed.
Shiro vasti – oil pooling treatment done over head and other therapies which mitigate vata should be done.
Article authored by
By Dr Raghuram Y.S. BAMS, MD (Ay)
Article reviewed by
Dr. Janardhana V Hebbar BAMS, MD (Ayu), PGDPSM,
Managing Director,
Easy Ayurveda Hospital