Guava stem - first toothbrush, and substitute, too.

Abe V Rotor

Here’s a folkloric practice. Chew one end of a small fresh stem of guava, and use it as toothbrush and toothpick. Guava contains a natural antibiotic that prevents infection, and it is also an anti deodorant, which explains the popularity of this old practice – and also for the fact that this small tropical tree grows everywhere.

Chewing guava leaves to relieve gum inflammation is also a common old folk remedy. I witnessed a dentist in a remote village in Bolinao, Pangasinan, use guava leaves in his practice. Before extracting an impacted tooth, the patient was asked to chew three young leaves of guava into a pulp, shaped it into a ball, and after the tooth has been extracted, plugged it in its place, and closed his jaw.

“That will stop the bleeding,” he explained in Ilocano as he called for the next patient - eying at me.

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Living with Folk Wisdom, AVR, UST Manila