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Even today, the tribals of Surguja clean their teeth with the mouth of Sarai tree. According to Devraj Majhi and Dr. Shailendra Gupta, this traditional method is very beneficial for health.
Ambikapur News: The area of Surguja division of Chhattisgarh is tribal dominated, where even today people clean their teeth with the mouth of Sarai tree instead of modern brush and toothpaste. This technique is not only traditional, but is also considered very beneficial for health. The tribal society continues to follow this tradition that has been going on for generations even today. They believe that this healthy method is much better and more popular than modern brushes and toothpaste.
The everyday face of the tribals is made from the dangle of Sarai.
Devraj Majhi told Local 18 that every morning he prepares Datoon by bringing a bunch of Sarai tree from the forest. In tribal society it is called ‘Mukhari’ and it is available in almost every house. People of Majhi community clean their teeth, mouth and tongue with this. He says that this method which has been prevalent since the time of ancestors is equally effective even today.
tradition passed down through generations
Devraj Majhi tells that his ancestors always considered Mukhari to be the best method. Even today in the village, children, youth and elders all use Sarai’s Mukhari. People believe that it strengthens the teeth, cleans well and does not require any additional tools. This is the reason why even after the introduction of modern brushes, the use of Mukhari has not reduced in the village.
Mukhari has medicinal properties
Expert Dr. Shailendra Gupta told Local 18 that both brush and mukhari are methods of cleaning teeth, but mukhari has been a part of the Indian traditional and healthy lifestyle. Chewing Mukhari exercises the teeth and its fibers themselves act like a brush. The medicinal elements present in the plant from which Datun is made are directly supplied to the body.
According to Dr. Gupta, the Mukhari used in villages is more beneficial in many cases than the modern brush, it gives natural strength to the teeth, keeps the gums healthy and also provides medicinal properties to the body.
