Question
dear sir,

can you please give me a list of herbs(dry herbs) that can be use to cure any mouth problem and can you also please write to me about how to prepare them? (if you can, give me the chinese name of the herbs). i will appreaciate very much for your kind help. (i will be using this for my school project). thank you.

yours sincerely,

kevin coangharja

Answer
Kevin:
I have a project for you. Below is info on a herb that I have grown and receive much info on how it was used. Good luck!

Toothache Plant
(Novocaine Plant)
(Spilanthes acmella-Para Cress )
(Spilanthes oleracea-Salad Cress)

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Brazil cress                                   Herbe mal aux dents
Pepper of the ground                     Akye n-tal?br> Ground new foliage                        Kolokuma
Ground pepper                               Ijo-zion


In the French West Indies, the crushed flowers and buds are scrubbed on the teeth to strengthen them. The root contains a compound that numbs the tongue and inside of the mouth. In Guatemala, El Salvador  and probably elsewhere, the roots are chewed to relieve toothaches.

The pungent name explains the English name of cress. It is regarded as antiscorbutic, diuretic and a digestive tonic. It induces salivation. It is added to salads in West Africa and Gabon to add to the flavor. In Indonesia it is eaten both raw and cooked. It is also given to cattle and horses as fodder.

Ijo girls of Nigeria use it as a pepper substitute when cooking  play food. The flower heads are chewed mostly for toothaches in Liberia, Nigeria, Gabon, Tanganyika,  South Africa, Asia, India, and Malaya. The Ijo of South Nigeria grind the leaves with guinea grains and gin to a paste which is applied to a cleaned aching tooth.

The Igbo chew the seed and they pulp the flower or the seed to rub on the head for headache. In Cameroun the pulped leaves with water and salt are eaten or placed as a large pill in the nose for headache. In Gabon the plant is used for earache. The flowering tops are made into a topical application in Ivory Coast to promote healing of cuts caused by sharp objects and in circumcision.                                                                                 

In  Senegal the leaves are lightly pulped and said to promote rapid healing of sores. Plant extracts have shown some action on blood pressure of cats and dogs.

The Ijo consider the plant an antidote against poison. Grounded with guinea grain and a little chalk, they use it as a vaginal suppository for uterine troubles. The flowers when used in large quantity are purgative and emetic. Herbalists in Sierra Leone give a preparation to clean the tummy of someone who fancies he has been given a bad food while in a dream.

In Cameroun the plant is eaten in a preparation with water and salt for dysentery. In West Cameroun  the plant with others is chewed in a snake bite treatment. (Other plants not named). Sore lips and gums in children in South Africa are treated with the powdered leaf.  The plant with its diuretic effect is said to dissolve  out stones in the bladder.

The flowers contain a local anaesthetic substance, spilanthol, which is an  alkaloid iso-butylamide. Isobutylamides are alkylamides.  It also has a little insecticidal action, due to the spilanthol.  In Cameroun it is said to relieve itching of fly bites?  

More info may be obtain from Horizon Herbs, Williams, OR***  541-846-6704
[email protected]/~ herbseed

Herbman's Growing Notes:

I was introduced to this plant in 1996. The taste of the plant, color and shape of the flowers really intrigued me.  The catalog said it is an annual. I like to make annuals into tender perennials. I noticed that it was a fast grower in the heat and kept moist. I placed it in the small greenhouse that has an average night temperature of 60 degrees.

I also put (1) plant outside as the guinea pig for the first frost and (1) for the killing frost. The indoor one gave a leaf every now and then, but no further flower heads. The light frost plant tops died, but roots were alive.                                                                                               

The temperature dropped to 38 with no wind chill. I put this one inside to see if it would recuperate.  

It set all winter and when the steady warm nights arrived, it started to grow. The killing frost one took around 32 degrees. It went to The Plant Cemetery.  :-) The indoor one started producing leaves before the light frost one, but by mid summer it had caught up with the indoor one.

I thought I had a large enough pot for them, but they soon started showing  diseased looking leaves. I had many cuttings potted and they were all looking the same. When I noticed that they were root bounded, I re-potted them and they grew much better. I decided to get Horizon Herbs booklet: ?Growing Tropical Perennials in the Temperate North? The answer was there. It  hates being root bound and if it is, the leaves will look diseased.  Booklet is $4.00.

This plant can take semi shade, but keep it moist. Take leaves and flowers at any time. I use a good manure-composted soil mix. I use a straight liquid fish or fish/seaweed  fertilizer every 2 to 3 weeks. Take cuttings to root in water at any time. Cut off the flowers before putting into water.

There is 1 or more insects that eat this plant. They must really have a dental problem the way the plant is eaten, but not to worry, because you will never run out of leaves. I did have a groundhog who ate the toothache,  parsley, valerian and echinacea. I can understand him eating it with those teeth that he has. He only did it once, so I guess he had a numb tongue and gums. :-) The insect(s) have not stopped. I would like to know what insects eat this plant.

Testimonies from Smile Herb Shop, Farmers Mkts. & Health Stores:

The first was from Rick of Virginia. He had a toothache and kept putting it off until one night it caught him. He knew he would not make it until morning, so he remembered the plant. He said he chewed a few leaves and went to bed. He had planned to go to the Dentist the next morning. Three years later, Rick still has the same tooth that acts up every now and then. He recently came back from Greece and said that there was an old man in the village who had been trying to convince the people that there was such a plant available. They didn't believe him until Rick came and demonstrated it. Now the villagers believe him and Rick got the best hospitality while there. He plans to send some of the testimonies from here back to them.

He decided to carry some of the plant with him just in case. He had placed a small leaf in a zip lock bag, pressed all the air out and sealed it 6 months before going. You know it! The tooth started acting up and Rick give it a piece of the toothache plant and away went the pain. After people tasted a leaf of the toothache, I would give a leaf of Stevia to sweeten the mouth that some said the combination tasted like tooth paste.   (1995 )

There were 3 more from women that used it for the same thing and got the same results. Tammatha O'Brien used the flower on a root canal and cut the pain in half.  Three teenagers wanted to try it on their braces, but I told them there was no information on using it that way. They decided to take the plants anyway. They came back in 2 weeks, grinning from ear to ear and saying it worked. They just chewed the leaf in the area where the pain was.  (1997)

In D.C. a woman wanted to try this on her 9 year old son's braces. I told her all of the info found in the catalog from Horizon Herbs. She said she would try it and see. He could not go to sleep at night for the pain. She was going to have him chew enough leaves to numb the area and then go to sleep.  Hope to hear about it in 98.'

In Vienna, Virginia my customer's spouse could not heal a mouth sore. He had used everything in the drugstore and nothing worked. His spouse finally convinced him to try the leaves of the toothache plant. Once he started eating the leaves, it didn't return. Meanwhile, he had been visiting his Dentist who saw the sore, but didn't  know  how to help. When he saw the results, he told him to get him a couple of the plants and more info. I sent him the info from Horizon Herbs. Note: This is a Holistic Dentist. (1997)

A few young Mothers have asked me about using it on a teething baby. I always tell them No!  Here is the only testimony about using it on a baby. The age is unknown.  A customer bought the plant for herself to use.  Her brother came by one day with his teething baby. He began to apply Brandy to the baby's gums.  She said, she got upset about the brandy and told him about the plant and the warning that I gave her.

He then took a small leaf, crushed it well and gently rubbed it on the baby's gums. He became quiet soon  after.  Hope to hear more about it from her next year. (1997) At the PA Herb Festival on June 26,1999 a Nigerian woman told me that this plant is used for that in her country. I hope to see her again for more uses about this plant.

I gave a workshop to a Senior Citizen group in Shady Side, Maryland. One person was very interested in the toothache plant. She came to the garden the following week and told me why she wanted to try this plant. She has had mouth problems for 15 years or more and nothing has helped, so she said why not try it. I gave her a large plant and the Horizon Herb info. She said she would let me know about any improvement. I gave her the plant in late October and saw her again in early February. She said it did not make any improvements, but would try again in the spring when the plant will have its strongest power.  (1997)

I was watching 20/20 one night and there was a baseball player who had received chemotherapy in the throat area.  The host asked him, what would you like to have back after receiving the chemo. He said, 揌is saliva glands.? I wonder if this plant would work for him. I wanted to call or write the station, but never got back to it. Then 2 weeks later, he was on a Gospel radio show. I called the station to mention it to him, but realized that I could not receive in coming calls after the shop was closed due to the new phone system. ( Now have separate line ). I hope he hears about this or something to help him.  (1997)

My friend Roy had his friend to try a flower and he swears it opened his sinuses. Of course, he has not returned for seconds.  :-) (1997)
The reason I wanted to give the info to the baseball player was because this plant is 搒aliva city." If you eat A plant flower, your eyes will water, your mouth feels like there is little group of guys scrubbing your whole mouth with echinacea.  It's an experience that is not easy to describe. Your mouth becomes full of saliva and if you try to talk, you will be like Sylvester the Cat, so don't talk with your mouth full.  :-)

My uses have been in making a mouthwash. I use 3 to 7 leaves in a cut of water. Blend leaves and water, strain and brush teeth with this, baking soda and (1) leaf of Stevia. No! Your teeth won't turn green :-).  You can also just chew a few leaves and brush with water mixed. Rinse well.

At the D.C. Garlic Festival in Gaithersburg, Maryland , a group of earring teenagers came by and said, 慔ey! Dud,' What's new? I said the toothache plant. They asked was it cool? I said, Oh yes! There was 6 of them and I gave them 1 flower each.  About 3 seconds later they started spitting out the flower heads and went away laughing.

They return about 2 hours later and said, Hey! Dude, you got any more of those flowers. I gave them more and told them how to grow them from the flower seed.  They put them in their pockets and left. :-) (1997)

The leaves can be eaten in salads, sparingly that is. If you have people coming over uninvited for a meal all the time, simply eat all salads  the and tell them that you have added some  leaves of the toothache Plant they will get a numbness in their tongue,  and they will probably won't come back. :-). BE SURE TO WARN THEM!

One customer wanted 3 plants for her mother-in-law. :-)  It's a  plant used for the mouth and the immune system, but you need to acquire the taste.                                                                                           

Judy had a mouth ulcer that kept occurring and was suggested to have oral surgery by her dentist. She used the flowers of spilanthes salad cress by placing them in the freezer and applying them to the affected area. She would rub the flower on the area throughout the day. It would take a week to heal. Now she says she can do it in a day and it doesn't re-occur as often. (1998)

Mrs. L. Beck, a 76 year old customer who loves using herbs for her health, was using para cress for her gums. She would chew the leaves daily. She needed (2) teeth extracted and did not want to use novocaine. She said she chewed the leaves only until she had no feeling in the area. She did this in the dentist office prior to getting the tooth extracted. She gave the dentist the literature explaining what the toothache plant does. The second tooth was the wisdom. This was done at another time and she did the same procedure. The wisdom tooth broke off and she said she  did feel some pain after he had to do some extra work to get the broken  pieces out. She blends the leaves in water and strain and use as a mouth rinse. I have known Mrs. Beck for at least 15 years and she has always put herbs to her own test. She researches everything first before trying it. (1998 )

A customer at the D.C. Garlic Festival in Gaithersburg, Md. said her mother in law had dry mouth and wanted her to try the plant. This was on ( June 28, 1998.) She said she would contact me if it works.                        

Customer in Baltimore is a proud owner of (4) beautiful Great Danes. One was in a fight and had his gum torn. She decided not to have surgery, but use the toothache to heal it. She showed me the place where it was torn and would show me the progress as she came by the store each week. (1997)

Customer in Vienna, Va., used the leaves on her dog's gums also. They were inflamed and she said she rubbed the leaves on them daily until she saw improvement. ( July 5, 1998)                                 You can purchase seeds from Johnny's Selected seeds;Richter's Herbs;Seeds of change;and horizon seeds. They all have web sites and you still have time to grow, especially if in mid-west or southern states. You also can see a photo of it on my web site. (askthisherbman.info)                           
NOTE: BEFORE TRYING THIS PLANT FOR ANY MEDICINAL PURPOSES, CONSULT YOUR HEALTH PRACTITIONER FIRST...
YOUR USES, FORMULAS AND TESTIMONIES:            

Leroy