Gums, Tongue, Teeth

Healthy teeth require healthy gums as their foundation. These ex­ercises will strengthen both the gums and teeth. Teeth are the ex­cess energy of the bones, and when the teeth get stronger, so do the bones. When the teeth and tongue are strong, your breath im­proves as well, eliminating bad breath.

We regard saliva as an essential form of energy which can lu­bricate the organs and digestive system. The tongue is the open­ing of the heart, and both are made of similar tissue. A healthy and clean tongue will strengthen the organs, especially the heart. You should clean your tongue twice a day with a brush or scrape it with a tongue scraper, and massage your tongue with a tongue de­pressor or a clean finger. Find the painful spots and massage there until the pain goes away.

Bring Chi Energy to the Hands.

Repeat the procedure for bringing energy to the hands, contract­ing the middle of the anus.

Gums

Open your mouth and stretch your lips tautly over your teeth. Use three fingertips (index, middle, and ring fingers) to tap the skin around the upper and lower gums. Hit around until you feel warmth in the area. (Fig. 4.35)