An English Translation of the Sushruta Samhita, Vol. II — trans. Kaviraj Kunja Lal Bhishagratna (1911)

The teeth should be daily cleansed with (a compound consisting of) honey, powdered Tri-katu, Trivarga*, Tej'ovati, Saindhava and oil. Each tooth should be separately cleansed with the preceding cleansing paste applied on (the top of the twig bitten into the form of) a soft brush, and care should be taken not to hurt the gum anywise during the rubbing. This tends to cleanse and remove the bad smell (from the mouth) and the uncleanliness (of the teeth) as well as to subdue the Kapha (of the body). It cleanses the mouth and also produces a good relish for food and a cheerfulness ofmind-j*. 4,

Cases where tooth-brushing is forbidden : — Tooth-brushing is forbidden to the persons suffering from affections of the teeth, lips, throat, palate, or tongue, or from stomatitis, cough, asthma, hiccough and vomiting, weakness, indigestion, epilepsy, head-disease, thirst, fatigue, alcoholism, facial paralysis, ear-ache, and to persons tired with overdrinking. 5.

* The term "Tri-varga" generally means Tri-katu, Tri-phal^ and Tri-mada. Dallana explains it as meaning Tri-sugandhi, i.e.^ Tvak, Eld and Patra.— Ed.

+ Additional Texts :— It brings on a relish for food, imparts a cleanliness, lightness and sense of freedom to the teeth, tongue, lips and palate. It protects the mouth, throat, palate, lips and tongue from being afTected by any disease. It arrests salivation, imparts an agreeable aroma to the mouth and relieves nausea and water brush. It strengthens the religious inclination and gives a lightness to the organs. Hence one should every day use the tooih-lwig, but its use is prohibited in respect of persons suffering from diseases of the palate, lips or tongue as well as from Mukha-pakaKslomatitis), dyspnoea, hiccough, parchedness of the mouth and nausea. The last two lines of the additional text, however, occur in the text in a .^lightly different form. See the next two lines of the text.

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p. 482

The use of a thin, smooth and flexible foil of gold, silver^ or wood, ten fingers in length, is commended for the purpose of cleansing the tongue by scraping. It gives relief and removes the bad taste, foetor, swelling and numbness of the mouth. Sneha (oil) should be used as a gurgle (Gandusha) every day (after the cleansing of the teeth), as it makes them firm, and brings on a natural relish for food. 6-7.

Eye and IVIouth -washes :— The mouth and the eyes of a person of sound health should be washed with the decoction of the barks of Kshira trees mixed with milk, or with that of Bhillodaka, or of Amalaka, or with (a copious quantity of) cold water.* This procedure would soon prove efficacious in destroying such affections of the body, as Nilika, dryness in the mouth, pustules or eruptions, Vyanga and the diseases due to the (concerted) action of the Rakta and Pitta, and by such washings the face becomes lighter and the sight stronger. 8.

COlIyrium :-— Srotonjana, produced in the river Indus, is the best and purest of Collyriums. It alleviates the burning and itching sensations in the eyes, removes all local pains, secretions and impurities, increases the range of vision, enables the eyes to bear

* Gayadasa interprets that the mouth should be washed with the decoction of Bhillodal<a and the eyes with that of A'malaka, He also interprets that the eyes and the mouth may both, however, be washed with cold water.

Perhaps Gayadasa was of opinion that the decoction of Amalaka, being astringent, might arrest the dilatation of the pupils due to age, and so help to keep the eye-sight unimpaired. Others explain that the mouth should be washed with the decoctions of Bhillodaka and of Amalaka, and the eyes with cold water. The decoctions, however, if used as an eye-wash, should be used in a cold state, — Ed,p. 483 the blasts of the wind and the glare of the sun and guards against the inroads of occular affections. Hence the application of collyrium (along the eye-lids) is highly recommended ; but its use is forbidden just after taking one's meal or bath (washing the head) and after the fatigue of vomiting, or riding, etc., nor after keeping late hours and also not during an attack of fever, 9-11.