Herbs for Oral and Dental Health

8 Sri Lankan medicinal plants traditionally used for this purpose. Open a herb to see its Sinhala, English and botanical names, the parts used, how it is prepared, the research behind it and safety notes.

Use with care: Traditional use does not prove that a herb works or that it is safe for you. Talk to a doctor or a registered Ayurveda practitioner before using herbs to treat a condition, especially if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, taking medicines, or treating a child. Read our disclaimer

Leaves

Bulath (Piper betle): The Betel Leaf, Honoured Guest and Misunderstood Medicine

(Piper betle)

No plant is woven deeper into Sri Lankan life than bulath (Piper betle). A sheaf of forty betel leav

Flowers

Karabu Nati (Syzygium aromaticum): Cloves and Eugenol for Toothache

(Syzygium aromaticum)

Karabu nati (Syzygium aromaticum) is one of the few household remedies whose active ingredient your

Leaves

Pera Kola (Psidium guajava): The Garden Guava Leaf for Diarrhoea and Toothache

(Psidium guajava)

A pera tree grows in almost every Sri Lankan home garden, and when someone has loose motions, a gran

Leaves

Neem (Kohomba): The Village Pharmacy, and the One Rule About Neem Oil

(Azadirachta indica)

Neem (Azadirachta indica) is called the village pharmacy for good reason — a single tree supplies a

Leaves

Katu Karandu (Barleria prionitis): The Porcupine Flower for Gums

(Barleria prionitis)

Katu Karandu (Barleria prionitis) defends itself with pale spines at every leaf joint — the porcupin

Leaves

Karal Heba (Achyranthes aspera): Apamarga, the Backward-Pointing Weed

(Achyranthes aspera)

Karal Heba (Achyranthes aspera) is the weed whose seeds you carry home on your trousers. Its flower

Bark & Wood

Munamal (Mimusops elengi): The Fragrant Flower for Gums

(Mimusops elengi)

Munamal (Mimusops elengi) drops small star-shaped cream flowers that keep their scent long after the

Flowers

Kinihiriya (Cochlospermum religiosum): The Buttercup Tree and Katira Gum

(Cochlospermum religiosum)

Kinihiriya (Cochlospermum religiosum) performs an annual act of theatre: it drops every leaf, stands

Other uses

Digestion (42) Coughs and Colds (22) Skin Conditions (22) Blood Sugar and Diabetes (18) Fever (16) Urinary and Kidney Health (16) Cooling the Body (14) Joint Pain and Arthritis (13) Wound Healing (12) Sleep and Stress (9) Immunity (8) Diarrhoea (8) Constipation (7) Cholesterol and Heart Health (7) Hair Care (7) Liver Health (6) Asthma and Breathing (5) Women's Health (4) Inflammation and Swelling (4) Memory and Brain Health (4) Eye Health (4) Weight Management (3) Piles (Haemorrhoids) (3) Intestinal Worms (3)