This is a disease of the gums, which is due to negligence in the proper cleaning of teeth daily, as a morning practice and also after every meal, etc. The membranes surrounding the tooth-root get affected, which causes the loosening of the teeth.
Puss begins to form and the gums begin to stink. It is due to the use of soft foods, denying the teeth their birth-right to chew, bite and gnaw at. The rural population who are more used to eating raw foods and less of such foods as pastries etc. rarely suffer on this count.
It is more a disease of the urban population, for their use of refined foods, canned food products, ice-creams, toffies and jams etc.
A pyorrhea-infected mouth smells foul and gives out blood from the gums, with slight brushing of teeth. Calcium deficiency in body due to use of demineralized foods weakens the teeth and leads to their decay. Toxic effect of acid-wastes is another cause for this.
Treatment
A use of calcium-rich mostly alkaline foods is very essential in the treatment of pyorrhea. These foods include green vegetables and fruits, like green peas, cabbage, tomatoes, gourd, carrot, spinach, cucumber, coconut, banana, nuts, almonds, etc., besides raw flour of wheat and unpolished rice.
Roasted maize (bhutta), sugar-cane bits and such hard foods in their use are a good exercise for the gums and the teeth.
Such foods, as containing Vitamin ‘C are a source of treatment for the bleeding gums, which include lime, orange, guava among fruits, and onions, garlic, tomatoes and cabbage among vegetables.
These foods also neutralise the acid effect of food-wastes in the organs. Steam treatment may be given to swollen gums.
Rubbing the gums for a few minutes, from outside and inside, with the hand serves like the massage of the gums and restores blood-circulation in them to oxidise puss etc., the toxic elements.
The massage or rubbing can be done easily with the hand, by the thumb on the outside and the middle finger on the inside of the gums. Extraction of teeth is discouraged. False dentures are no answer to the disease.
Besides the above, intensive treatment is advised like keeping fast for three days, followed by fast on orange juice for a week and then taking to restricted diet, until one is cured.
The bowels should be kept clean and warm-water enema regularly taken during the fast. Hip-bath will also be useful.
The practice of chewing and munching solid vegetables, like carrot, radish etc. and fruits like apple, guava, coconut, etc. provide exercise to the teeth and also clean them, while strengthening their roots.