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Herbs & Cultures

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Liquorice root for toothache

Chewing a piece of wild liquorice root and holding it in the mouth: the Lakota and Dakota remedy for toothache.

Traditional use

Time
5 minutes
Makes
1 time
American licorice

In 1919 Melvin Gilmore described how the Dakota chewed the root of American liquorice and held it in the mouth for toothache. In 1990 Shelly Kraft recorded the same use among the Lakota of Standing Rock.

Ingredients

  • A 3–4 cm piece of dried liquorice root (American or common liquorice)

Step by step

  1. Chew the piece of root until it softens and tastes sweet.
  2. Hold it against the aching tooth.
  3. Replace it with a fresh piece after an hour.

Tips

  • Liquorice root sticks are sold in pharmacies and health food shops.

Registry

Herbs in this recipe

Read more about effects and safety on each herb’s page.

  • Caution

    North America · Herb · № 955

    American licorice

    Glycyrrhiza lepidota

    A legume with long, tough, sweet roots, related to true licorice. The root tastes of licorice; it contains less glycyrrhizin than Glycyrrhiza glabra.

    Lakota medicine

Cultures and traditions

Where the herbs come from

The herbs in this recipe also appear in these traditions.