Keeping Teeth Healthy

Anyone who wants to keep their teeth intact must follow eight rules. Thus, one should avoid that food and drink constantly spoil in the stomach due to the substance of the food itself, that is, if it is quickly subject to spoilage, such as, say, milk, small salted fish, or if the food intake is bad, this has already been taught in its place. You should also not constantly induce vomiting, especially if the vomiting is sour.

You should avoid chewing anything sticky, especially sweet things, such as natif and sticky figs, avoid biting into hard things, avoid anything that sets your teeth on edge, avoid anything very cold, especially after something hot, and anything very hot, especially after something cold. It is also necessary to constantly clean the teeth of anything stuck in them, without inserting the toothpick deep and far, which harms the gums and the meat between the teeth, pushing it out or loosening the teeth.

You should also avoid things that are harmful to the teeth by their nature, for example, leek, which is very harmful to the teeth and gums - and other things mentioned among simple medicines.

As for the toothpick, it should be used with caution and not inserted too far, for this destroys the enamel and shine of the teeth and predisposes them to the reception of discharges and vapors that rise from the stomach and are a cause of concern. If you use a toothpick in moderation, it gives shine to your teeth, strengthens them and gums, prevents the formation of hollows and imparts a pleasant smell to your breath. The best wood for toothpicks is one that has astringent properties and bitterness.

You should get into the habit of lubricating your teeth with oil before going to bed. This can be either rose oil, if there is a need for cooling, or bana or spikenard oil, if there is a need for heating. Sometimes an oil made up of these two is required. It is best to first rub your teeth with honey, if there is cold, or with sugar, if there is a tendency toward cold or lack of heat. Each of these substances has many praiseworthy properties: it gives teeth shine, makes them greasy, warms and cleanses; Sugar is inferior to honey in all this. Grinding candy sugar, mixing it with honey and consuming it makes your teeth shine, cleanses them and strengthens your gums. After this, oil is required.

Here is one way to keep your teeth healthy: you should rinse your mouth with wine in which yattu root has been boiled twice a month. This is very effective: those who use it do not have toothache. The same is the burnt head of a hare, if you brush your teeth with it, and salt mixed with honey, burnt or unburnt, burnt is better. You should make a nut out of salt and honey, put it in a rag and rub your teeth with it, or rub it with lupine or Yemenite alum with a little myrrh, especially alum burnt with vinegar. If the teeth become darkened by these medicines, then after them you should use honey, and rub your teeth with honey or sugar, and then apply lubrication with oils, as we have described. If your teeth are exposed to effluvium, you should keep a decoction of astringents in your mouth for a long time, and also constantly wipe your teeth with a powder of burnt alum and salt.