Ayurvedic home remedies
Simple, traditional preparations for common, everyday complaints. Each remedy lists ingredients, preparation, how to use it and — most importantly — precautions.
This is the full list of home remedies. Each remedy has one address under Remedies. Browse by health concern
Showing 24 of 33 remedies
Oral care
10 minOil pulling (gandusha) for a fresh mouth
Swishing oil around the mouth first thing in the morning is an old Ayurvedic practice described for oral hygiene. It can leave the mouth feeling clean and fresh as part of a good routine.
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Oral care
2 minClove for temporary toothache relief
Clove (laung) has a natural numbing quality. Holding a clove near a sore tooth is a well-known stop-gap until you can see a dentist.
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Oral care
5 minSoothing mouth ulcers: honey-turmeric dab, coconut and cooling foods
Mouth ulcers (chhale) make eating and even talking painful. A dab of honey with a pinch of turmeric, swishing with coconut milk or cool buttermilk, and a few days of bland, cooling food usually help them heal faster.
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Oral care
3 minFresh breath with fennel, cardamom and a tongue scraper
The humble after-meal mukhwas — fennel seeds, a cardamom pod or a clove — freshens the mouth naturally. Pair it with daily tongue scraping and plenty of water and bad breath usually fades.
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Oral care
5 minCaring for bleeding gums: salt-water rinse, gum massage and amla
Gums that bleed when you brush are asking for attention, not harder brushing. A warm salt-water rinse, a gentle gum massage and vitamin C-rich foods like amla and guava support healthier gums — alongside a visit to the dentist.
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Oral care
5 minThe traditional neem or babool datun (chewing stick)
Before toothpaste, much of India cleaned its teeth with a fresh twig of neem or babool. Used correctly, a datun is a pleasant, zero-waste addition to your oral routine — though it works best alongside, not instead of, regular brushing.
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Oral care
10 minHome remedies for tooth sensitivity: sesame oil swish, salt rinse and gentle brushing
A sharp twinge with ice cream, cold water or hot tea usually means the inner layer of the tooth is exposed. These home remedies for tooth sensitivity pair a warm sesame oil swish and a salt rinse with gentler brushing, so the teeth get less irritated day after day.
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Oral care
5 minHome remedies for yellow teeth: datun, crunchy fruit and fewer stains
Tea, coffee, paan, tobacco and turmeric-rich food slowly stain the surface of teeth. These home remedies for yellow teeth focus on safe polishing through daily cleaning, crunchy raw fruit and simple habits that stop new stains from building up.
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Oral care
10 minHome remedies for swollen gums: turmeric-salt paste, guava leaf rinse and gentle flossing
Red, puffy gums that feel tender when you brush are usually reacting to plaque at the gum line. These home remedies for swollen gums use a warm salt rinse, a pinch of turmeric and a guava leaf gargle alongside careful cleaning, which is what actually lets gums settle.
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Oral care
5 minHome remedies for dry mouth: sips of water, fennel, amla and an oil rinse
A sticky, dry mouth makes talking, swallowing and even tasting food harder, and it raises the risk of bad breath and cavities. These home remedies for dry mouth keep saliva flowing with small sips of water, chewing fennel or amla and a soothing oil rinse at night.
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Oral care
5 minHome remedies for cracked corners of mouth: ghee, coconut oil and B-vitamin foods
Sore, split corners of the lips sting when you eat or smile. These home remedies for cracked corners of mouth protect the skin with a thin layer of ghee or coconut oil, break the lip-licking habit and add foods rich in B vitamins and iron.
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Oral care
5 minHome remedies for white tongue: tongue scraping, warm water and lighter meals
A white film on the tongue is usually a build-up of dead cells, food debris and bacteria between the tiny bumps on its surface. These home remedies for white tongue use a gentle morning tongue scrape, warm water and oil pulling, with lighter meals that Ayurveda links to a cleaner tongue.
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Oral care
10 minHome remedies for wisdom tooth pain: salt rinse, clove and a cold compress
An erupting or trapped wisdom tooth can make the back of the jaw ache, the gum swell and chewing painful. These home remedies for wisdom tooth pain offer comfort with a warm salt rinse, a clove held near the tooth and a cold compress while you arrange a dental visit.
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Oral care
5 minHome remedies for plaque and tartar: better brushing, flossing and crunchy food
Plaque is the soft, sticky film that forms on teeth every day; left alone, it hardens into tartar within days. These home remedies for plaque and tartar focus on removing plaque before it sets, with thorough brushing, flossing, oil pulling and crunchy raw food.
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Oral care
5 minHome remedies for cold sores: ice, aloe vera and lip care that doesn't spread it
Cold sores (fever blisters) start with a tingle on the lip, then a cluster of small painful blisters that crust over in about a week or two. These home remedies for cold sores soothe the area with ice and aloe vera, protect it with a barrier and help you avoid spreading the virus.
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Oral care
5 minSesame Oil Rub for the Gums
Massage one drop of sesame oil on the gums with a clean finger, then spit it out and rinse. This is a mouth habit, not a treatment for gum disease.
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Oral care
12 minGuava Leaf Mouth Rinse
Boil tender guava leaves, cool the water, and rinse the mouth. Spit every sip out. This does not replace a dentist for toothache or swelling.
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Oral care
5 minLicorice Dab for Sore Gums
Dab a pinch of mulethi powder on a sore gum spot and rinse it away after a few minutes. Spit out the rinse. This is not a treatment for infection.
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Oral care
2 minFennel and Clove After Meals
Chew a few fennel seeds and one clove after a meal, then spit out the woody bits. It is a spice-box habit for the mouth, not a dental treatment.
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Oral care
8 minTriphala Mouth Rinse
Stir a pinch of triphala into warm water, swish, and spit it out. Do not drink this rinse. It is not a treatment for gums or teeth.
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Oral care
12 minNeem Water Gargle
Boil neem leaves, cool the water until warm, and gargle. Spit it all out. Do not swallow neem water. It is not a treatment for infection.
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Oral care
2 minCardamom Pod After Meals
Chew one green cardamom pod after a meal that tasted strongly of garlic. It is a short fragrance habit, not a cure for bad breath or stomach illness.
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Oral care
3 minWarm Salt Rinse After Meals
Stir a little salt into warm water, rinse after a meal, and spit it out. Keep it mild. Brushing still matters. This is not a gum treatment.
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Oral care
5 minTurmeric and Coconut Oil Gum Dab
Mix a pinch of turmeric into a drop of coconut oil, dab it on irritated gums, then rinse and spit. It can stain cloth. It is not a gum cure.
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