Comfrey for dental health (or other suggestions)

Part of what draws me here is food as medicine discussion as I want to maintain health and raise a healthy family. Struggled with cavities as I grew up for various reasons but refined carbohydrates were definitely a big part of the problem. a couple years ago make the switch to a Weston price style diet, though with the SAD still very much a part of America and raising 3 kids it's hard to find the variety and purity that our ancestors enjoyed living off the land and in tribes where everyone pitched in.

Short story long, I was able to shut down most of my tooth decay and even stopped some cavities dead in their tracks. Just went back for a check-up and found a cavity in the dentin behind an existing composite filling and I am determined to recalcify it as opposed to paying to have it drilled and refilled (the price tag for one filling is severe and I am stubborn when it comes to wanting to use food as medicine).

I just bought some comfrey roots and seeds to start growing it for all of it's permie plot benefits. It's nickname is Knit-bone, wondering if it has a use in the healing of cavities and if so how do you use it? ie do I brew a tea, make a salve or salad etc.

My holistic dentist assures me that I cant recalcify dentin but I would like to prove her wrong! I read nutrition and physical degeneration and I am very sure Weston price observed this in many of the people he studied when diet returned away from junk food.

While I applaud your desire to use foods as medicine, which they are. However, I want to warn you about jumping into the world of the herbalist with out proper knowledge and training.
As a herbalist I have spent many years studying the different plants used, how they can interact with the body and each other and most importantly what to avoid doing.

I am posting here the writings on Comfrey from one of one of my best compendiums.

Since ancient times comfrey has been employed as both a medicinal plant and as a type of vegetable, although the general employment of the plant in the latter sense seems to veer more towards its Western usage more so than its Eastern employment, as the East generally employs comfrey chiefly as a medicinal herb, with rare usage of the plant for consumption only occurring during times of hardship. Comfrey was quite a popular vegetable and medicinal plant during the Dark Ages until well into the Renaissance due to the fact that is was readily grown, relatively hardy, and required very little maintenance given ample water supplies and already presently viable soil properties.

When employed for culinary purposes, comfrey is typically harvested using shears, or, in ancient times, scythes, as the tiny hairs found on the plant can cause minor discomforts when touched. Prior to being consumed, usually as a vegetable incorporated into soups or stews, but sometimes even as a salad green, it is always soaked in water or par-boiled to soften the hairs (if employed for salads) or otherwise simply integrated whole into a simmering pot. Long believed to possess medicinal properties by folkloric healers, it is said that foodstuffs containing comfrey helped in boosting one's overall health, improving digestion, and alleviating common ills such as cold, flu, and fever. It was also given to individuals to alleviate the symptoms of cough, or, if prepared as a vegetable in combination with chicken soup, as a general cure all for respiratory ailments. [2] The leaves of the plant itself contains minute amounts of allatonin - a chemical compound thought to be beneficial for the growth and repair of cells as well as for its ability to reduce inflammation and alleviate the symptoms associated with it. The leaves also contain significant amounts of mucilage which are extracted through the process of decoction, making it useful for the treatment of internal ailments like indigestion as well as more serious ailments such as asthma and whooping cough (the mucilage actually helps to soothe the esophageal track, alleviating the irritation which triggers coughing, while eliciting the ease of expectoration). [3]When employed solely as medicine, mild decoctions of the leaves are typically taken in minute to moderate dosages to alleviate the symptoms of whooping cough, sore throat, hoarseness of voice, flu, and colds. Moderate decoctions of the leaves have been used in ancient times as an emmenagogue and as an early type of disinfectant and antiseptic. It has even been employed as a gargle to remedy halitosis, treat gingivitis, and alleviate the symptoms of sore throat.

When using comfrey for graver diseases such as asthma, bronchitis, and even angina pectoris, the root of the plant is a preferred constituent part to be decocted in lieu of the leaves, as the root tends to possess more potent volatile compounds than the leaves. Comfrey, regardless of the constituent parts employed, can be used in both its fresh or dried form, although some curative practices may call for its usage while fresh. The roots are commonly decocted and drunk to treat the same diseases which are curable with comfrey leaves, although it's more potent nature requires lesser decocting time and a smaller dose. In traditional cases, decoctions of the root are often employed to hasten the healing and cut the recuperation time of individuals who are mending after suffering from broken bones and fractures. Because of this powerful healing capacity, it was referred to by ancient Western herbalists as 'knitbone'. Employing comfrey for the healing of fractures usually employed giving a small amount of a mild decoction to an individual for a set number of days not exceeding a week until sufficient progress is seen.

The prolonged or excessive intake of comfrey (either as infusions or decoctions) can however be dangerous and even poisonous hence its very limited and strictly regulated usage in ancient herbal practices. The more common method of employing comfrey for general (external) complaints is by using the leaves as either a poultice, or by creating a topical rinse or salve imbued with the properties of the leaves and roots by either making a very strong decoction of the constituent parts and applying it topically as a wash, or by creating a salve through the maceration of its constituent parts in one's choice of a baseoil. Some traditional folkloric applications even employ heated comfrey leaves directly unto the skin as a remedy for arthritis, rheumatism, gout, broken bones, sore ligaments, and even burns. Because of its analgesic properties, salves, ointments, and liniments may sometimes contain minute amounts of comfrey's essences, as it is known to not only relieve pain, but also reduce inflammation and hasten the overall recovery of the affected area. An older method of creating a healing salve of comfrey is to boil the fresh or dried root for several hours under low heat until a thick, creamy paste is formed. This paste can then be stored and applied topically as needed, although care should be taken when overusing it, as the paste can cause allergic reactions to some individuals who have very sensitive skin.

Comfrey may also be employed as a fertilizer for agricultural purposes. Because they are nitrogenous plants that can literally 'mine' nutrients from the soil, this may be taken advantage of by planting and, later, harvesting nutritionally dense comfrey leaves which can then be rotted, or dried and finely chopped and employed as fertiliser for crops. The easiest means to make use of comfrey as a fertiliser is to create a concentrated liquid which is composed of the whole of the plant, macerated to the point of decay. This 'nutrient water' can easily be poured unto plots. Being liquid, the nutrients contained in the 'brew' is readily accessible to the plants, and it also seems to be the most readily applicable fertilizing medium when compared to other forms such as pellets or mulch. The liquid may be further improved by allowing it to macerate compostable materials prior to a final staining and employment for added nutritional benefits.

Esoteric / Magickal Uses
Comfrey has long been employed in the magickal world, and, being a relatively ancient herb, its usage has changed overtime. Initially considered a talismanic herb, it was originally carried by travelers in medicine pouches or juju to protect them from harm during long sojourns. Its protective properties were later revamped to include its capacity to protect items from theft, and so it was encased in money bags and chests to help protect the articles from theft. Sympathetic magick and folkloric magick have employed comfrey as a sort of 'fixing' herb, as it is said that leaving a sachet of comfrey beneath or lover's bed or pillow, or bequeathing them such an item would keep them faithful. Its protective abilities soon expanded to include general household protection, and cleansing. A strong decoction of comfrey leaves can be employed as a cleansing bath to help strip off negative energy and cleanse the body of any malignancy, while an incense made from dried comfrey leaves and roots (the latter being most preferred by Caribbean, Haitian, African, and some shamanic branches of magick) is said to drive away evil spirits, aid in concentration, whet one's psychic abilities, and allow for the easy and painless severance of unhealthy relationships.

While the use of comfrey was predominant in ancient herbalism, the modern applications for comfrey are somewhat more limited as the plant has been found to be toxic in large dosages, and dangerous even in minute dosages. Most modern manuals on alternative medicine now suggest that comfrey not be taken orally, although some older (and other not-so-old) texts suggest that it may be safely taken orally in minute dosages, but never for prolonged periods of time. Because the oral intake of comfrey may raise the risk of liver damage, lung damage, and cancer, its oral usage is ill-advised by most modern health-care professionals. As a general warning however, both ancient and modern medical sources concur that comfrey should not be taken (orally) by pregnant or nursing individuals, and that people with a history of liver damage and lung damage, or those who are at risk for such diseases should best steer clear of comfrey.
While the topical application of comfrey is relatively safe, it should never be employed by individuals who have broken or damaged skin, nor should it be employed liberally. When using comfrey either as a foodstuff or as medicine, it is best to employ only very trifling amounts as even small dosages can be potent enough to elicit a healing effect. It must be noted that individuals who are under liver-tonifying medicines, or who are under medication for the treatment of liver disease should never take comfrey orally, and must only employ it topically on very rare occasions lest it react with the preexisting medication. To err on the side of caution, one is also advised to consult an expert herbalist when employing comfrey, and to not depend on general self-medication as made available by current and past literature for the sake of safety.

I would like to recommend you go check out The Home Grown Herbalist web site and perhaps even get in touch with Doc Jones, who has extensive experience with the use of Comfrey, before you embark on this experiment/ treatment. Comfrey is a very powerful herb and much research should be done before you start self treatment just to be on the safe side.

Thank you, That is just the type of info I have been looking for! No stranger to herbs, my wife has been working at Standard Process for 11 years now, our family of 5 haven't had a prescription in over 2 years, we practice homeopathy as well as herbal remedies, but like you point out, taking an herb long term has it's potential dangers as well. I will study that passage a few times and do more research.

I am planning to use comfrey to see if it can help my teeth too.  I wanted some leaves.  I am about to order potted plants and seeds.  I'm also a WAPFer.
I've been good at making fruit trees productive and rose bushes blooming.  Let's see if I have a green thumb for comfrey.

I have not used comfrey for dental problem though I have found that the plantain plant works well and I also like using a rosemary infused gargle.

They help to remineralize teeth?

Dr. John R. Christopher one of the greatest herbalists that I know, says that Comfrey, especially the Root is a cell proliferant, causing the good cells to grow rapidly and push off the dead cells and unwanted accumulations. If you cut Comfrey down to the ground, it will grow back in no time, and when using it as medicine, it has a similar effect on the consumer, speeding up healing wounds, broken bones, etc.

When you have a young Comfrey plant, you need to cut back the first growth to the ground, and use that for composting or mulch. The second growth an on are suitable for human consumption according to Dr. Christopher, as the first one is too highly concentrated in phytohormones.

Tooth problems start several generations back. The weakness of calcium deficiency is passed from parent to child. By following the same parental pattern of "poor food selection," each new crop of babies becomes weaker. "The sins (of omission and of commission) of the parents are passed on to the third and fourth generation." While the baby is being carried in the womb, Mother Nature is interested in that which is being produced more than the one producing. She is continually trying to upgrade humans and animals by drawing on the mother to supply the child. How often do we hear the expression, "Well, I'm carrying another child, that means more varicose veins and loss of more teeth - I don't see why mothers have to suffer this way." Please don't blame the Lord for these conditions, rather blame the use of pastries, soda pop, candy, sugar, ice cream, etc. The sugar leaches the calcium out of the body. Pregnancy is a strain on body calcium, because the mother must have enough calcium in her body for both her and the baby being formed, and later for nursing. If there is not enough calcium for her, because of this leaching process by the sugar (of past and present), the fetus draws on the mother's body. The calcium it now takes is from the bones, muscles, and the teeth, etc. Sometimes so much is taken from the mother that she will, after a number of babies, have bone and muscle problems from a great lack of calcium.

When a child is being formed and there is not enough calcium being supplied to the fetus, the jaw of the child will not form fully. It will be narrow instead of broad. When it is time for the child to cut teeth, they cannot come in "Straight" because of a crowded jaw space. So, naturally, they will come in crooked. Later as there is not enough room for the wisdom teeth, they must often be extracted before coming through. When the day comes that the jaw is adequately large and well-shaped to accommodate all thirty-two teeth without crowding them to crookedness, and the wisdom teeth can remain until old age (and in comfort), it will mean we humans have "gained enough wisdom" to keep them!

The basic cause of calcium loss, of course, as mentioned, is leaching out the calcium with sugars and a toxic body condition. Nearly all tooth decay comes from the blood stream, saliva, and the inside of the teeth, not only from the external surface. The teeth deteriorate but it is from the toxic blood stream and the enamel-destroying toxic saliva which is a result of an impure (toxic) blood stream. If a child has good wholesome food and has been given a "good solid start in life" with a full healthy set of teeth and jaws, he can go through life without tooth problems. The condition of perfect teeth is, of course, dependent upon a continual use of wholesome and proper foods.

Calcium is a "must" throughout life. It is needed for the formation of good teeth and strong bones.
Children need calcium if bones and teeth are to grow strong and well-formed. Adults need an adequate amount of calcium every day. During periods of pregnancy and lactation, women require much more calcium than normally, as they must also furnish extra calcium for the baby.
Botanical or herbal sources for calcium are: arrow root, comfrey, camomile, chives, dandelion root, flaxseed, horsetail grass, nettle, okra pods, oat straw, plantain, shepherds purse (and, of course, eat good foods rich in calcium).

Calc Tea (Calcium Formula)

Comfrey Tea and Organic Calcium: After the doctor has set the bone, drink three or more cups of comfrey tea each day--the more the better. With each cup of tea take the calcium combination.

Ingredients:
Calc-Tea is made of horsetail grass, oat straw, comfrey leaves and lobelia. As explained in the book "Biological Transmutations" the silica in horse tail grass converts to calcium, and the other herbs work in close conjunction with this master calcium herb.

6 parts horsetail grass
4 parts comfrey root
3 parts oat straw
1 part lobelia

Testimonials:
1. Tooth Grows Back: My oldest daughter age 13 now, had a dental cavity at age 7 (the only dental cavity among our six children). We had the cavity drilled out and a filling put in by our local dentist. Two years later, the filling came out and a hole was left in her tooth. Nothing more was done about it except the herbal calcium formula Calc Tea that you recommend in your book, School of Natural Healing, made up of: comfrey, horsetail, oatstraw, and lobelia. This combination of herbs has been used very consistently by the entire family over the last two years. We have recently discovered that the hole where the filling was is now completely grown over and is absolutely unnoticeable even under close inspection. [NL 1-9]

2. Insomnia Cured: I have found great relief by taking Dr. Christopher's calcium formula and thyroid formula through the night which was recommended in his "How Important is Calcium" newsletter. I have recommended this treatment to others and to my mother and they all have found it helps their insomnia also. -A.R., Williston, ND [D. Christopher]

About the toxicity of comfrey:

Dr. Christopher used Comfrey in many of his formulas. He recognized the benefits, and powerful healing agents of Comfrey. A good majority of his formulas contained Comfrey. However, recently the FDA and the FTC decided that Comfrey was a dangerous herb, because when it is a young plant it has a high Pyrrolizidine alkaloid content. This has led the FTC and the FDA to believe that Comfrey is dangerous. Dr. Christopher never had a problem with Comfrey, and we have yet to hear of someone who has been damaged by it. Nevertheless, the Dr. Christopher Company had to remove Comfrey from the internal formulas. Comfrey is still used in the external formulas.

3. I was introduced to herbal medicine, quite by accident...literally.
I was attending a seminar on some health related issue when an elderly woman I knew fell in the parking lot breaking a bone in her shoulder.
She was taken to the emergency room of a local hospital for x-rays which confirmed that the bone was indeed broken. In fact, it was the ball of the bone that fits in the rotator cup of her shoulder that was affected. She had three hair-line fractures that radiated from the center of the ball.
After consulting a highly regarded, local orthopedist, she refused his medical treatment which was to include immediate surgery. When she refused, the MD told her that without his professional help, she would never have full motion of that joint again. He predicted that 10% to 20% motion would be the most she could expect without his help. She thanked him, but told him that it was her body and she wasn't going to allow him to perform any unnecessary surgery on it.
Instead, she asked that I go to a garden where I found fifty large comfrey plants growing. I knew them only because of the excellent directions she gave on how to get to the garden and what the plants looked like.
I quickly gathered a 5 gallon bucket of the leaves and under her direction, used a double boiler to prepare a combination of steamed leaves and a tincture of the herbal active ingredients.
When the leaves were steamed for a few moments, I let them cool, then placed them over her affected shoulder. Over this, I then placed a cotton diaper. Then I poured the rest of the cooled liquid from the double boiler to saturate the diaper. She may even have drunk some of it as tea, but I really don't remember the details. Next, I placed a sheet of flexible plastic over the diaper so that her bedding would not be damaged by the green juices. I then placed a heating pad over these layers ( leaves, saturated diaper and plastic ) and she sat there for probably a good half-hour while her skin slowly absorbed the herbs.
To relieve her pain, I would hold points on her hands and feet as she refused to take any pain medication.
I ended up moving in with her as this treatment took a good two to three weeks to be effective. However, after new x-ray's were taken three weeks later, no one could find the original fracture lines. To top this success, this elderly woman had retained the full 360 degree motion of her arm. It's pretty amazing that this "bone knitting" herb discovered by the American Indians had accomplished such wonderful results. It was amazing to me, but apparently not to her. However, she made a believer out of me and I've never looked back.

4. Damaged Eye: A woman fell while descending stairs to the basement and struck her head on the overhang above the staircase. She fell on her elbow and hip as well, but she had hit her eye so badly that it was oozing blood down her face. She found her way upstairs, and "dumped a pile of Cayenne into her hand and pressed it against her wounded eye" (Herbalist:March, 1978:30). She also took Cayenne internally and applied an ice pack. By this time the bleeding had stopped, and she applied Dr. Christopher's Comfrey Poultice, made with wheat-germ oil and honey, to her eye wound and other facial wounds. When she went to the doctor, he cleaned out the wound and told her that she would bruise very badly and that, if she wished, he would recut the wound and stitch it, as she had passed the eight-hour limit for stitches.
She kept taking the Cayenne and rubbing wheat-germ oil and other oils and herbs on the wound. She also applied wet hot packs for the itching associated with healing. After a few days, the marks of the accident were nearly cleared up, although the doctor had predicted many days of discolor and discomfort. This lady--who has teenage grandchildren--credits her quick healing to Cayenne.

5. Dr. Charles MacAllister, M.D., was interested in the use of comfrey as a healing agent. He had written a paper in the 1896 edition of the British Surgical Journal, Lancet. In it, he gave his philosophy concerning the bloodstream and irregular cell growth. Dr. MacAllister wanted to look up his paper and noticed an article in the same issue by a Professor William Thompson, President of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. Thompson recorded a case of a man who had been diagnosed as having a malignant tumor on his face. The patient had undergone surgery of the palate in an attempt to remove the cancer.
A month later, the cancer returned. This time it ran rampant throughout the patient's head. They gave up on cutting it out. It had gone too far, and they sent him home. Three months later he returned to Thompson's office and was examined. Thompson noted that the cancer had completely disappeared. The patient told Dr. Thompson that he had been applying comfrey poultices to the swelling and that it had gradually disappeared. The patient had a custom-made palate to fill in the hole left by surgery of the hard palate. Thompson states in the report that although he knows nothing of the use of comfrey, he does not believe that it would remove a sarcomatous tumor.
MacAllister was inspired by that article of Dr. Thompsons and began to wonder if there was actually anything in comfrey that would control or stabilize cell growth. He began an extensive study of comfrey although he had never before heard of its use as a medicine. Beginning with old books on materia medica (substances used medicinally), MacAllister found that after the mid-nineteenth century, comfrey or Symphytum was referred to as obsolete as a healing aid. He then began to search through the ancient and medieval herbals which told the history of the use of comfrey. There were several varieties of the plant used, one was known to Turks and Saracens for use in healing battle wounds. [There is much more to read about the comfrey and the components that MacAllister discovered.

From a letter to Dr. Christopher: A few years ago, about 2, I wrote to tell you that I used the black ointment for skin cancer and got perfect results. The Hershey Medical
Center doctor wanted to refer me to a Skin Cancer Specialist, but I told him I was going to try the home remedy that an Herbalist Doctor recommended. Needless to say, he was persistent, and wanted me to go to the Specialist, but I was also persistent and told him it was my body and I would try the remedy you recommended, first. Praise the Lord-in 6 weeks it was all cleared up and that was over 2 years ago. My husband is presently using the Black Ointment on his nose for Skin Cancer.

6. Third Degree Burns: One of our school of Natural Healing staff members (we call him "Professor Cayenne") accidently scalded his hand with burning olive oil during a kitchen fire. He acquired Third Degree burns from this misfortune. There was no one around to properly dress the wound, so he went to the local emergency room to have the toasted, dead flesh cut away. They cleaned the burn and informed him that he would need skin grafting if he wished to regain the use of his hand. He said, "No, thank you. I don't want flesh cut from anywhere on my body!" The hospital assured him that the skin grafting was the only route to go. He still refused. But when he got home, he asked a friend to 1) take pictures of the hand for documentation, and 2) make up the comfrey burn paste and apply it to the hand. After a few weeks of using the comfrey paste, he was able to move his hand. The hand is still scarred somewhat, but new flesh has grown in and he has total use of the hand. With dry skin brushing and use of the Cayenne and BF & C Ointment, he began improving the circulation as soon as the skin grew back. The comfrey paste had turned an almost mummified-looking hand to one that is now living again.

7. No Root Canal: After breaking a tooth from biting my fingernails, I had to have a crown put on one of my bottom front teeth. This tooth aches all the time. Sometimes it's from the weather, sometimes from eating something, and sometimes from headaches. My tooth was so sensitive I couldn't eat corn on the cob! When I complained about the pain, my dentist told me that if it keeps bothering me we might have to do a root canal. I started using Dr. Christopher's Herbal Tooth Powder to brush my teeth once or twice a week. As long as I remember to brush with the tooth powder, my tooth doesn't hurt. Whenever I forget to use it, my tooth starts to hurt again. I love the tooth powder, because it helped me avoid a root canal.

Contentions with the Comfrey Studies

We sent a large stack of documentation to the FDA and the FTC refuting their claims that Comfrey is harmful. The following is a list of problems we saw in the studies that the FDA and FTC used to make their decision. Click on the #s to find how we responded to them, or follow the links across the top.
Contentions:
1. Studies pointing to harmful effects of Symphytum officinale were performed with the root which has a higher Pyrrolizidine alkaloid content and is not used internally in Dr. Christopher formulas.
2. Studies were performed with extremely concentrated extracts or single constituents of the herb containing higher Pyrrolizidine alkaloid content than the whole plant.
3. Studies were performed by injecting plant constituents under the skin or in tissue cultures, exhibiting an unrealistic scenario of this plant's use.
4. Many studies cited in literature related to harmful effects of Symphytum officinale were performed on related species with higher Pyrrolizidine alkaloids content than Symphytum officinale.
5. Symphytum officinale has been shown to act as a cell proliferant and have analgesic effects in clinical studies.
6. Symphytum officinale has been clinically proven not to have carcinogenic effects.
7. Symphytum officinale contains hepatoprotective constituents that help protect the liver from damage, these substances are not included in tests of this plant and would effect the outcome of these tests.
8. Symphytum officinale has been used as a feed and forage crop for centuries without incident. 9. Symphytum officinale has demonstrated its safety through thousands of years of documented
traditional use.
10. Symphytum officinale use has low incidence of hepatic problems.
11. Case studies that seem to show harmful effects from consuming Symphytum officinale reflect poor application of the scientific method.
12. Symphytum officinale has demonstrated its safety through 43 years of use in Dr. Christopher's formulas without incident.
                         

Other uses for comfrey:

1. Most skin sores can be aided by the use of comfrey. Use three parts comfrey with one part lobelia to relieve pain and restore the skin.
If a doctor is not available, apply fresh or dry comfrey root, powder or leaf, powdered, to help stop the bleeding. The comfrey can be put right into the wound; if it is powdered, pour over the area, if fresh, tear up finely and apply. Fresh or dried comfrey can be applied directly over the damaged area--just keep adding additional amounts as needed. Cover with gauze, bandage lightly to hold comfrey in place and so the area can breathe. Comfrey paste can also be applied directly over the damaged area as with burns.
Healing Ointment: Made of comfrey, marshmallow, marigold, beeswax, and oils, this is an antiseptic that has been used historically on lesions, eczema (dry), poison ivy, soothes inflamed surfaces, abrasions, burns, hemorrhoids, for bruises and swellings. May be used whenever needed. Good to have on hand at all times.

2. Comfrey placed over a wound will stop the bleeding quickly and as the healing proceeds there will often be no scar showing at all. Stories of many hundreds of healings have been related to us, using this amazing comfrey plant. Another life saver is cayenne pepper. This will stop bleeding by applying it directly to the wound, and again--most often--no scar! Another way cayenne will stop bleeding (exception: bleeding from uterus) or a hemorrhage, is to take a teaspoonful of cayenne, put it into a glass of preferably hot water (or any other temperature will do if hot is not available) and drink it right down. As I have taught for over thirty years, if you will drink a cup of cayenne tea it will stop any unnatural hemorrhage due to injury, etc., by the time you can count to ten. One patient contradicted me on this, laughing as he said it, "You said a cup of cayenne tea will stop a hemorrhage by the time you count to ten--you were wrong. I tried this when I had a "nose bleed" and I started to count, but I only got up to six instead of ten."

3. A great aid in anemia is comfrey. This herb can be used in the form of comfrey tea, tablets, capsules, in salads and in comfrey green drink. Make the green drink by blending into apple juice (or some pleasant-tasting vegetable juice, such as fresh carrot), comfrey, marshmallow root (mallow), parsley, spinach, and other greens. Sweeten with honey and use a cup morning and night (children in proportion). The use of grapes, grape juice and raisins in an abundance is excellent in rebuilding an iron-deficient bloodstream. Each mouthful of the juice should be "chewed" thoroughly (swished in the mouth) and mixed well with saliva before swallowing.

4. Boils: Paint the part with pure olive oil to prevent sticking, then saturate a thick layer of cotton with comfrey mucilage and apply to the affected parts. Cover with plastic or waxed paper, bandage, and leave on until nearly dry. Make a fresh application by following the same process. If pus is present, paint the part with oil of garlic instead of olive oil and take 1 teaspoonful of the oil, internally. This will prevent or stop putrefaction and pus formation, which will hasten the healing process. Give fomentation wrung out of a strong decoction.

5. Dr. Christopher's Black Ointment: This is an excellent drawing ointment. For use externally on old ulcers, tumors, boils, warts, skin cancers, hemorrhoids, excellent for
burns and as a healing agent. This is made with chaparral, comfrey, red clover blossoms, pine tar, mullein, beeswax, plantain, olive oil, mutton tallow, chickweed, poke root.

6. Breast Infection When Nursing: Some women use a hot compress of parsley herb, but this can cut down the supply of milk. A hot compress of comfrey leaves, or of marshmallow roots are excellent; the latter is especially good to draw out poisons and infection. Echinacea and garlic can help up an infection; take these internally. My midwife has suggested that a calcium imbalance in the system can cause breast infection; instead of taking calcium tablets, take Dr. Christopher's Calc formula, which consists of four parts comfrey root, six parts horsetail grass, three parts oat straw and one part of lobelia. This can be taken in tea, tablets, or capsules. Take lots of liquids, take hot baths, and be sure to get plenty of rest. Many breast infections result from an exhausted mother. Vitamin C-rich foods, such as rose hip tea or, my favorite, hot lemon toddy, which you make by squeezing the juice of one lemon into hot water and adding honey to taste, can help heal you up.

7. Burns: Cleanse the wound and use Dr. Christopher's burn ointment, which is made by blending equal parts of wheat germ oil and honey in a blender, and adding comfrey leaves, fresh or dried, until the mixture becomes thick. I sometimes add a little slippery elm. This mixture is fantastic.

8. Mucilage of Comfrey: Diarrhea, dysentery, and cough [delicate children]. Give the mucilage sweetened with honey in teaspoonful doses frequently (it helps strengthen, nourish, sooth and heal).


9. Herbal Tooth Powder: Dr. Christopher's Herbal Tooth Powder: This herbal food combination consists of oak bark, oat straw, comfrey root, horsetail grass, lobelia, cloves, peppermint. This
formula is used to help strengthen the gums (bleeding and pyorrhea-type infections of the gums), and assist in tightening loose teeth. This type tooth powder will help brighten the teeth's luster and make for a healthier mouth. For severe cases place this powder combination between the lips and gums (up and lower) around entire tooth area and leave on all night, six nights a week (as well as brushing regularly) until improvement is evident. Then continue on with regular tooth brushing with this herbal food combination.

10. Comfrey for Hemorrhage of the Lungs: Give the mucilage of comfrey often and in large doses or give 1 teacupful of the decoction or mucilage (1 mouthful at a time and mix well with saliva). Rest 1 hour, then repeat until all soreness is gone and blood is not in the sputum. If the patient sleeps, awaken and continue with the same dosage for two hours and administer every three hours thereafter. Do not give food for at least twelve hours.

11. Bone, flesh and cartilage (comfrey combination fomentation). This is an aid for malfunction in bone, flesh, sinews, etc. Make a tea of the following herbs: six parts oak bark, three parts marshmallow root, three parts mullein herb, two parts wormwood, one part lobelia, one part scullcap, six parts comfrey root, three parts walnut bark (or leaves), three parts gravel root. Soak the combined teas in distilled water, then soaking four to six hours, simmer thirty minutes, strain and then simmer the liquid down to 1/2 its volume and add 1/4 vegetable glycerine (if desired). Example: One gallon of tea simmered (not boiled) down to two quarts and add one pint of glycerine.
Soak flannel, cotton, or any white material other than synthetics (never use synthetics). Wrap the fomentation (soaked cloth) around the malfunctioning area and cover with plastic to keep it from drying out. Leave on all night six nights a week, week after week, until relief appears.
Drink 1/4 cup of finished concentrated tea with 3/4 cup of distilled water three times in a day.
 

There are many many more uses and stories about Comfrey, maybe I'll list some more in another post. But it's these stories that motivate us to stick with the herbal medicine and discover our own stories. That's what I think at least.

I use a tooth powder made from dried comfrey root, baking soda, powdered charcoal, and ground cloves. Before I started using it, one of my fillings had a grey line around it where the tooth was deteriorating. After about 5 months the grey line was gone. I'm told it would work better if I swished the comfrey mix in my mouth like mouthwash for 20 minutes a day, but that's not going to happen. I have also been told my teeth would recalcify faster if I added ground eggshells to my diet, but I haven't done that yet.

As it is, this seems to be working.

There is a lot of debate over how toxic comfrey really is. I wouldn't go eating comfrey salads on a regular basis, but there are people who do. If you decide, after researching, that you're not comfortable using comfrey in your mouth, look for a plant called oysterleaf. It has the same healing compound, allantoin, but at a lower concentration, and without the toxic alkaloids comfrey has. It is actually sold as a salad green in some places.

Taking the sugar and other refined starches out of my diet as much as possible, and eating healthier stopped my cavities dead in their track. I am not going to a dentist either. I'm not noticing it growing back, but I have all my life to try. I'm stubborn that way.

Now I don't think Comfrey grows where I live (Morocco), so I'll try replacing it with Horsetail (rich in silica, which can be converted into calcium) and Nettle (helps absorb and utilise the silica.

I'm also using Miswak, a traditional teeth cleaning twig. There is some basic information on it on wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miswak

It's made out of the roots of the Arak tree, but there are other roots that work too. You just need to experiment. Chew the upper part until it becomes like a brush and you're good to go!

I haven't used toothpaste for years now.

Any other ideas and suggestions are welcome!
I'm thinking of making a tea to swish in my mouth and drink, using (not a fixed list yet) Horsetail, Nettle, Basil, Acacia, and Walnut root bark. I might add Cayenne powder to swish, to stimulate the blood flow.

Just heard about Simons Doug, and intending to watch his videos as well.

Ellendra Nauriel wrote:There is a lot of debate over how toxic comfrey really is. I wouldn't go eating comfrey salads on a regular basis, but there are people who do. If you decide, after researching, that you're not comfortable using comfrey in your mouth, look for a plant called oysterleaf. It has the same healing compound, allantoin, but at a lower concentration, and without the toxic alkaloids comfrey has. It is actually sold as a salad green in some places.

Thank you for this information. Apparently, Chamomile contains Allantion as well, so I'll be adding that to my tea as well, I think.

Ellendra Nauriel wrote:Thank you for this information. Apparently, Chamomile contains Allantion as well, so I'll be adding that to my tea as well, I think.

So does plantain, which grows in most yards in USA. Here's how to identify several varieties. They are all used similarly in herbal medicine. And, fully in the category of safe to eat!

Joylynn Hardesty wrote:So does plantain, which grows in most yards in USA. Here's how to identify several varieties. They are all used similarly in herbal medicine. And, fully in the category of safe to eat!

Oh, good to know! I live in Morocco, North Africa. But we do have Plantain here. It's an amazing herb!

Sarah Qaswarah wrote:

9. Herbal Tooth Powder: Dr. Christopher's Herbal Tooth Powder: This herbal food combination consists of oak bark, oat straw, comfrey root, horsetail grass, lobelia, cloves, peppermint. This
formula is used to help strengthen the gums (bleeding and pyorrhea-type infections of the gums), and assist in tightening loose teeth. This type tooth powder will help brighten the teeth's luster and make for a healthier mouth. For severe cases place this powder combination between the lips and gums (up and lower) around entire tooth area and leave on all night, six nights a week (as well as brushing regularly) until improvement is evident. Then continue on with regular tooth brushing with this herbal food combination.

So I find this topic immensely interesting. I found a picture with the quantities for the powder, hope that attachment works.

And I know nothing about lobelia, I found out it's more an ornamental plant. Anybody here knows which one is the right one and which parts of the plant  to use?

I have comfrey liquid extract.. is this the same as the dried root?  can I use it in the tooth powder recipe?  thank you

John Master wrote:Part of what draws me here is food as medicine discussion as I want to maintain health and raise a healthy family.  Struggled with cavities as I grew up for various reasons but refined carbohydrates were definitely a big part of the problem. a couple years ago make the switch to a Weston price style diet, though with the SAD still very much a part of America and raising 3 kids it's hard to find the variety and purity that our ancestors enjoyed living off the land and in tribes where everyone pitched in.

Short story long, I was able to shut down most of my tooth decay and even stopped some cavities dead in their tracks.  Just went back for a check-up and found a cavity in the dentin behind an existing composite filling and I am determined to recalcify it as opposed to paying to have it drilled and refilled (the price tag for one filling is severe and I am stubborn when it comes to wanting to use food as medicine).

I just bought some comfrey roots and seeds to start growing it for all of it's permie plot benefits.  It's nickname is Knit-bone, wondering if it has a use in the healing of cavities and if so how do you use it?  ie do I brew a tea, make a salve or salad etc.

My holistic dentist assures me that I cant recalcify dentin but I would like to prove her wrong!  I read nutrition and physical degeneration and I am very sure Weston price observed this in many of the people he studied when diet returned away from junk food.

I don't think  ita about re mineralizing. This is a reductionist philosophy. I'd look to the mouth flora and reducing inflammation more than anything. But I'd add that it depends on each person what you really need to do is take a questionnaire and then you can get decided on how your body is unbalanced this is ayurvedic or traditional healing method. But besides that taking cloves and turmeric should help your particular problem that is if you cut out all things causing your issues simple sugars (not really carbohydrates potatoes are carbohydrates broccolihas carbs everything does) milk, maybe night shades legumes thing like that.
You can't supplement yourself out of a bad diet that's why they are supplemental.

Comfrey is for like when your skinny and wasting away weak lack structure. This would be your Vatta is too strong or active your unbalanced and you need to add kapha. Most people suffer from this stuff called ama which is basically inflammation mucus type energy. That's why I recommend cloves and turmeric. This is ayurvedic method. Besides that your gut could be unhealthy and not absorbing. I could explain the basics if you want more.

Hello Bryant!

Can you please share the name of the book that you copied the information that you included in your post? I love that it touches on all values with the Herb.

Thanks so much!

Hello guys!!
I just ordered dr.Christophers original formulas  powder with comfrey  from iherb!! I want to try to slow down my dental caries.... I hope 🙏 comfrey will be work!!!

I was interested in the use of comfrey for dental health and came across this from Mt. Sinai Hospital in New York. It seems to ask people to be very careful when using comfrey. https://www.mountsinai.org/health-library/herb/comfrey