International Yoga Day 2020: THESE are the dental benefits of practicing yoga

The human body is a machine and every part is interconnected with the other so undoubtedly a healthy mouth is equal to a healthy body and vice versa. Yoga is a wonderfully therapeutic practice for our bodies and helps to improve the mental, physical, and social well-being of an individual. It has great benefits on overall dental health as well. It’s the best way to keep your overall health in place.

5 asanas for good oral health and their benefits by Dr. Gunita Singh, Director, Dentem:

1. Khechari Mudra- It helps in salivary stimulation. The saliva is a key ingredient of our oral cavity, it washes away all bacteria and food particles. It also helps in swallowing and digestion. Dry mouth is a major problem that leads to plaque build-up and tooth decay. 

Draw the tip of the tongue along the roof of the mouth towards the back of the nostrils to the upper throat. Hold there for as long as you can with eyes and mouth closed.

2. Sukshma Yoga – Relieves lockjaw. It opens and closes the jaws alternately. Also, massage the lower jaws while doing this. This helps release tension around the jaw the most common stress symptom in today’s youth.

3. Breathing exercises/ sheetkari pranayama- It’s cooling pranayama considered for the good health of gums, teeth, and a good cure for pyorrhoea.

4. Movement of the tongue- Touching your tongue to the mid-palate and making the sound tah tah tah promotes oral health. It improves speech, pronunciation and improves mental balance it is an excellent cure for stammering

5. Improve posture- Poor posture can result in the worst effect on your overall health including oral health. Let’s say if your head is forward, your neck, spine, and collarbones suffer, as a result, it will directly affect the shape and position of your jaw. Poor jaw alignment can affect your bite which can negatively impact your dental health. One of the major benefits of practicing yoga regularly is improved posture.