釋氏要覽 1.463

1.463

僧祇律名齒木。嚼一頭碎。用剔刷牙齒中滯食也○毘奈耶云。嚼（楊枝）有五利。一口不苦。二口不臭。三除風。四除熱。五除痰癊○又五利。一除風。二除熱。三令口滋味。四消食。五明目○僧祇律云。若口有熱氣。及生瘡。應嚼楊枝咽汁○百一羯磨云。嚼楊枝須在屏處。不得顯露。及往還潔淨處。或棄齒木。先以水洗。乃謦欬。或彈指警覺。方可棄於屏處。若其異者。得越法罪。

The Mahāsāṃghika-vinaya calls it "tooth-wood" [dantakāṣṭha]. One chews one end until frayed, using it to scrape and brush food trapped between the teeth. ○ The Vinaya states: Chewing [a tooth-stick] has five benefits: first, the mouth is not bitter; second, the mouth does not smell foul; third, it expels wind; fourth, it expels heat; fifth, it eliminates phlegm. ○ It also lists five benefits: first, it expels wind; second, it expels heat; third, it gives flavor to the mouth; fourth, it digests food; fifth, it brightens the eyes. ○ The Mahāsāṃghika-vinaya states: If there is heat in the mouth and sores develop, one should chew a tooth-stick and swallow the juice. ○ The Ekottarakarma-śataka states: Chewing a tooth-stick must be done in a secluded place; it must not be done openly or in clean places where people come and go. When discarding the tooth-wood, one first washes it with water, then coughs or snaps the fingers to alert others, and only then may one discard it in a secluded place. If done otherwise, one commits an offense of transgression of the Dharma.