Wednesday, August 5, 2015

Mastic Gum - A Natural Remedy For Oral Health

Mastic has been used in Greek medicine going as far back as 2500 years ago! This very versatile plant has an abundance of uses in medicine, but for the purpose of this article we'll focus on its benefits in oral health.

Mastic is a chewy, gum resin that comes from the bark of the Mastic Tree. It is evergreen in nature.  It has a somewhat bitter (at first) taste with a hint of Cedar or Pine, and when chewed, it has a wealth of antibacterial, antimicrobial and antiviral properties that can benefit the gums and teeth.

We all know of the benefits of chewing plain (sugar free) gum...it helps to remove food particles between teeth, increases salivation and freshens breath, but chewing Mastic Gum, specifically, has been said to reduce the formation of plaque, relieves inflammation (gingivitis) around the gums, kills bad bacteria, freshens the breath, whitens teeth and as an added benefit, it's firm, chewy consistency actually exercises the jaw muscles!  It has even been known to be effective against the Herpes Simplex virus that causes cold sores and mouth sores.

You can buy Mastic Gum in Health Food Stores.  It is marketed online as well, and comes in supplement (capsule) form as well as the chewing gum.  It is a bit pricey, but by the reviews I've read, it may be well worth the price!

The qualities of Mastic Gum go so much further than just for use in oral hygiene.  For more information on its amazing qualities, just search for "Mastic Gum" on the web.  It's an interesting topic!

Keep Smiling!


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