Ancient Ayurvedic Drug Removes Tooth With No Blood or Pain

A family in the northern Indian city of Jammu has the recipe for a rare drug that can painlessly remove a tooth without anesthesia or surgery. As part of an ancient medical heritage, the family has been using this drug for centuries, passing down the recipe for generations. Rattan Singh, who works in a small clinic on a side street of the Gumat Bazaar in Jammu city, is one of the recipe holders.

On a cold January day, Vijay Kumar, age 67, came into Singh’s clinic with an aching tooth. Singh applied his concoction soaked in cotton to the area around the tooth, and within a minute, had it removed.

There was no bleeding and no pain. “I didn’t even know what happened,” Kumar said.

The drug is transparent like water but smells very strong. According to Singh it can catch fire like gasoline. He hasn’t made the drug himself; what he has was made by his grandfather, and he still has about a quart of it left.

Singh’s father and grandfather left him and his four brothers, who also have clinics on the same street, with four remedies older than 100 years, which they are still using. While Singh is still a traditional dentist, his brothers have become dental mechanics, certified by the government.

“Others do possess this drug, but they keep it a secret,” Singh said. He only uses it when a customer requests it, saying he believes it affected his now-deceased father’s eyesight.

History

Singh and his brothers are part of a community of Bhat Sikhs or Bhatras, a community whose ancestors were scholars and priests who lived on the now dry Saraswati River between India and Pakistan.

Brahmin in origin, they became followers of Guru Nanak, who is the grandfather of the Sikh religion. One of Guru Nanak’s followers, ruler Raj Shivnabh, had a grandson who became a poet and scholar. He was called Bhat Rai, or the “Raj of poets” for his literary skill, and the name Bhatras evolved from “Bhat Rai.” Bhat means “bard” in Sanskrit, and the Bhat Sikhs are Sikh bards or scholars.

Today the Bhatras can still be seen in the narrow lanes of the Gumat Bazaar, sitting at small tables with acrylic teeth and old dentures on display to attract clients.

Singh said his father, who came to the region when it was still ruled by a king, also used to practice this way.

“He would sit in the public junction and offer his services to people. Slowly people came to know about him, and we are carrying forward that legacy,” he said, showing an old leaflet that his father used to publicize his services.

Affordable Dental Care

While they mostly work in the open street, don’t wear protective gloves, and some of their tools look like they belong in a carpenter’s shop, many people still come to them because they are affordable and effective.

“I had a client in Delhi. He told another high-ranking officer from Maharashtra [a coastal state about 700 miles southwest of Delhi], and he came all the way looking for me in this lane in Jammu,” Singh said.

To remove an aching tooth, Singh charged a woman only 120 rupees ($2).

Another woman approached Singh to wire her daughter’s teeth. “I went to a private [modern dentist] clinic,” she said. “They asked me for 21,000 rupees ($350).” Singh charged 800 rupees ($13) for the same job.

Unfortunately for Singh, this means he can’t make a living from his practice.

“My father told me not to cheat anyone, so I can’t charge them exorbitant amounts of money,” he said. “Since I cannot charge extra, I cannot survive practicing this only.”

He has started a small electronics business and survives by renting property in the main market nearby.

And it looks as though the practice of traditional dentistry will not be carried on in his family much longer.

Singh’s brothers have already given up the practice and his children aren’t interested in practicing traditional dentistry either. His apathy toward his medicinal heritage is also apparent, he says he doesn’t want to practice anymore and wants to find a new career in another industry.

But until then, he is a living testament of the power of traditional healing.

This Morning Habit Just May Save Your Heart

Not so fast, guys. Running out the door in the morning without eating breakfast is causing some serious damage to your health. So grab a bowl of steel cut oats and listen up.

One study out of Harvard points out that men/women who forego breakfast have a 27% higher risk of developing heart disease than those who start off the day with something in their stomachs. That’s not all – men who skip breakfast are also more prone to weight gain, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. And, if you make it a habit of foregoing food in the morning, you’re also more likely to indulge in other unhealthy activities like smoking and drinking alcohol.

We get it; most mornings you’re rushing out the door with barely enough time to tuck in your shirt, let alone prepare a healthy meal. But you don't have to sit down to something fancy – or time consuming -- to protect your heart and get a healthy start on the day.

Check out these quick and easy breakfast ideas:

Bite into hard-boiled eggs. They’re simple to prepare (especially if you boil them the night before) and full of the wake-you-up chemical tyrosine. Starting your day with eggs can also help you burn fat and control your appetite throughout the day.

Graze on grains. Toast up one slice of whole grain bread, smear it with peanut butter and top it off with a few slices of banana. The fiber in the whole grain toast will keep you feeling full. Not to mention, four servings of whole grains a day helps keep your blood pressure in a healthy range.
Feast on fruits, nuts and carbs. On your way out the door, grab an apple or a pear, a handful of almonds and seven low-fat Triscuit crackers. This mini-meal offers an impressive 10g of protein.
No time to fix anything?

If you’re totally pressed for time and your only breakfast option involves placing an order at the drive-thru window, here are some waistline friendly fast-food options.

The benefits of breakfast are far-reaching. Not only does it help protect against heart disease, it kick-starts your metabolism, allowing your body to burn more calories throughout the day. Eating breakfast also helps regulate your cardiovascular and immune systems, improves your memory, lifts your mood and gives you a performance boost to fuel you through those first few hours at work.

Now if that doesn’t make you want to sit down and nosh a bowl of Wheaties before you head out the door, we don’t know what will.