Karnataka Farmer Devises Betel Nut Tooth Powder, Research Shows It’s Safe To Use

Vivek Alva, a farmer from Savanur taluk of Haveri district, Karnataka is in the headlines. Wondering why? This is because he developed a tooth powder with the help of Betel nut (Areca nut). For those who don’t know, the Areca nut is a seed of the Betel Palm (Areca catechu), which is an evergreen tree that grows in tropical areas such as India, Bangladesh, Ceylon, Malaya, the Philippines, and Japan. Vivek has used the Areca Nut as a raw material for making this tooth powder and told Local-18 Kannada that he is confident that it will be beneficial for the teeth and the gums. This tooth powder has also been taken up as a subject for research. It has been concluded that people suffer from no health ailments after using this powder for their teeth. Now, as the research has pointed out its safety, Vivek has started the process to launch it in the market and has contacted the CAMPCO brand for this purpose.

The full form of CAMPCO is The Central Arecanut & Cocoa Marketing & Processing Cooperative (CAMPCO) Limited. The official website of CAMPCO describes its objective to promote and develop Areca and Cocoa cultivation, marketing, and processing.

Areca Nut has a lot of health benefits. As per the Ayurveda, it balances the Kapha, and pitta doshas and also serves as a natural mouth freshener. It also cleanses the gut from tapeworms, and parasites, and clears dental plaque. Its other benefits are-

Boil betel nuts in hot water and let it cool down. Then gargle the concoction to treat mouth ulcers. It can also be used to treat immediate relief from bleeding gums.

Mix areca nut powder with sesame oil and then apply it on the wounds for pain relief in joints

Brush teeth with betel nut powder to remove dental plaque and whiten teeth naturally

Consume 10 to 15 ml of areca nut decoction for regularising periods and relief from menstrual cramps

Consumption of betel nut powder mixed with 1 teaspoonful of lime juice stimulates appetite and finishes nausea.

Areca Nut, however, is advised to be consumed in moderation as its excessive intake can lead to cancer, increased heart rate, and blood pressure.