Tooth Talk: What do lobelia, clove and pine tree sap have in common?
By Mary Ellen Volansky, RDH, MS
Ethnobotany of oral health is the
study of plants used by a culture for, in
this case, oral health. This information is
interesting to me because it’s the begin
ning of oral health.
Most interesting is the level of health
found among American Indians of North
America prior to the Europeans’ arrival.
And it’s being shared here because many
plant medicines are being researched and
some are being re-introduced into modem
oral health care with modifications.
This information is educational on a
cultural level within the limits that the sci
ence establishment can provide. In other
words, Indian cultural experts should have
specific information on the ethnobotany of
oral health care or historical use of plants
for any health care concern.
These same people should have infor
mation about how a plant was prepared
and used by members of a particular
Tribe. There are differences among Tribes
for what a plant might be utilized for, from
foods, drugs, veterinary and fiber uses.
A good example of Tribal differ
ences in the use of a plant is lobelia, now
a commonly used yard plant. Daniel E
Moerman, in his book Native American
Ethnobotany, explains it this way. Euro
peans believed that certain humors (blood,
bile or phlegm, for example) accumulated
at the expense of others and the healer’s
goal was to re-establish the proper bal
ance. One way to do this was for a healer
to cause a person to vomit and lobelia was
used for this purpose.
The Iroquois used lobelia to induce
vomiting too. Why? It was used to cure a
sufferer of tobacco or whiskey addiction.
Would either culture agree that lobelia
worked as the other said it would?
Now consider the Cherokee. They
used lobelia and vomiting to cure asthma.
Now we have a third agreement (vomit
ing) and a third disagreement( what vom
iting would cure).
Asking about the effectiveness of a drug
is not a simple biological or medical issue
but also a complex consideration of culture
and meaning. For the cultural and mean
ing of a plant’s use by a particular Tribe,
speak with your Tribe’s cultural experts.
Have you ever had a dry socket after
an extraction? A very painful experience
to be sure. You may remember the strong
smelling medicine applied to that sore
spot. It came from clove, the dried flower
bud of an evergreen tree. The oil of clove,
eugenol, was the cause of that odor and
the healing of that sore socket. It has long
been used to treat tooth pain.
Clove trees are native to most tropical
areas. Today they can be found throughout
the planet.
Moerman lists butternut or walnut
bark and yarrow root as being used for
tooth pain. He does not list clove as a plant
utilized by Indians of North America. Yet
some of you have told me of your family’s
use of clove in treating tooth pain.
Nesika lllahee Pow-Wow
Aug. 12-14, 2011
How many years does a Tribe need to
use a plant for that plant to be considered
a cultural part of a Tribe’s history? One
hundred or 1,000 years?
Licorice root was used by North
American Tribes for many purposes. The
Sioux, Dakota, Pawnee and Blackfoot
Indians used this plant for tooth pain and
to keep moisture in the mouth when run
ning or dancing a long time.
Today, research is being done to deter
mine the preventive impact on reducing
tooth decay. A Delta Dental study is still
in progress; smaller studies support the
idea that licorice reduces tooth decay. The
orange-flavored sucker tastes pretty good.
Pine tree sap quids were chewed by
Siletz (per teacher Joe Scott at Siletz
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Pow-Wow Jobs
T he C oxeeperaeep T ribes of S ilet : 1 vdiaxs
The Siletz Pow-Wow Committee once again will accept applications for
temporary jobs during the 2011 Nesika lllahee Pow-Wow.
esika I llahee
R k kJrato.Bow -A '> G rih \r<
Security jobs
The committee is looking for individuals with a background in security
for security lead positions during the pow-wow. Applications for security lead
and other security positions will be available July 1 at the Tribal administration
building and the Siletz Tribal Community Center, Culture Office.
Applications for all security positions are due by 4:30 p.m. on July 15. Com
pleted applications can be submitted to Nick Sixkiller, Felicia Carmona, Mary
Dederick or Elaine Greene, members of the pow-wow committee.
Orientation for security positions is Aug. 8 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the
Tribal Community Center. Please provide a copy of your Social Security card
and at least one of the following - Oregon driver’s license, DMV Oregon ID or
Tribal ID - at the orientation.
Other jobs
Valley School) for cleaning teeth. Today,
large pharmaceutical companies use pine
rosan or chemical replications of it to
carry fluoride to our teeth to prevent tooth
decay. We call it fluoride varnish.
Do you think the glittering bling of
hip-hop “grills” are new? Twenty-five
thousands years ago, Southern North
Americans went to “dentists” (among the
earliest known) to beautify their teeth with
notches, grooves and semiprecious gems.
Check the following website for
more information - http://news.national-
geographic.com/news/2009/05/0905 18-
jeweled-teeth-picture.ntml.
If you have questions, please let me
know by e-mailing maryellen@ctsi.nsn.us.
Have a great Culture Camp 2011 !
Ppw-Wou
Aug. 11th
Royalty Pageant - 6pm
Aug. 12 th
Memorials/Giveaways - Noon-6pm
Presentation of crowns - 6pm
Grand Entry - 7pm
Aug. 13th
Parade - 10am
Grand Entry -1 & 7 pm
Aug. 14th
,
Pow-Wow Wellness Walk - 9am
Grand Entry - Noon
Contact Nick Sixkiller
T he N esika I llahee P ow -W ow is a drug and
ALCOHOL FREE EVENT. Al l DANCERS AND DRUMMERS ARF
WELCOME ♦ DRUMMERS, PLEASE BRING YOUR OWN CHAIRS
Applications for maintenance, kitchen and sales jobs will be available Aug.
10 at the Tribàl Community Center, Culture Office.
Orientation for these jobs will be Aug. 10-11 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the
Tribal Community Center. Please provide a copy of your Social Security card
and at least one of the following - Oregon driver’s license, DMV Oregon ID or
Tribal ID - along with your application.
If you have any questions, contact Nick Sixkiller at 800-922-1399, exts.
1230 or 1757, or 541-444-8230.
♦ WF ARF NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ACCIDENTS AND LOST
OR STOLEN ITEMS. VENDOR REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED ♦
C amping : $25 for three days per campsite .
F or more information , contact
N ick S ixkiller 800-922-1399, ext . 1230
or
541-444-8230
^’-$200 4th-$150
3rd-$75 >h-$50
5*-$100
5th-$25
Vendor and Parade Applications
For parade and vendor applications/entries, please contact Nick Sixkiller at
800-922-1399, exts. 1230 or 1757, or 541-444-8230.
You also can find them online at www.ctsi.nsn.us or pick them up at the
Tribal Community Center or Tribal administration building in Siletz.
10
•
Siletz News
*
July 2011
5
3rd-$50
W 3rd-$300
00 3w-$3OO
Wen - $300
4th-$35
5th- $25
4th-$200 5th- $150
4*’'-$200 5'"-$150
Women - $300