Dantakaṭṭhasutta — Kimilavagga — the twenty-first chapter of the Fives
Setting
None stated; the discourse continues from AN 5.1, whose setting at Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove is understood to hold
Speakers
The Buddha alone, addressing the mendicants
Form
two paired five-item lists, drawbacks then benefits
Length
under 1 minute to read
Northern parallel
not identified in this collection
Difficulty
★☆☆☆☆ — brief and entirely practical
Why this discourse
A companion to AN 5.207's porridge discourse, equally practical: five drawbacks of neglecting the traditional chew stick, and the five exactly matching benefits of using one — basic dental hygiene, treated with the same structural care as any doctrinal teaching.
Reading guide
Five drawbacks of neglect
Not using a chew stick is bad for the eyes, causes bad breath, leaves the taste-buds unclean, lets bile and phlegm cover one's food, and spoils the appetite — five concrete physical consequences.
Five matching benefits
Using one is good for the eyes, prevents bad breath, cleans the taste-buds, keeps bile and phlegm from covering food, and helps food agree with the body — the clean, exact mirror of the drawback list, item for item.
A dantakaṭṭha, in context
A dantakaṭṭha was a small twig or stick, chewed to fray one end into bristles and used to clean the teeth — the traditional dental-hygiene tool this discourse recommends, still used in various forms across South and Southeast Asia today.
The same schema as doctrinal teachings, applied to hygiene
This discourse's structure — five drawbacks, then their exact five-item mirror as benefits — is identical to the format used throughout this collection for doctrinal and ethical content, applied here without adjustment to a matter of basic bodily care.
A companion to AN 5.207
Together with the previous discourse on porridge, this pairing reflects this chapter's genuine interest in the practical, physical conditions of a mendicant's daily life — not everything in this collection concerns liberation directly.
Key terms
dantakaṭṭha — “a chew stick” — a small twig chewed into bristles, used for dental hygiene, this discourse's title concept.
acakkhussaṁ — “not good for the eyes” — the first drawback of neglect, and its mirrored benefit.
rasaharaṇiyo — “taste-buds” — whether cleaned or left unclean, depending on chew-stick use.
pittaṁ semhaṁ — “bile and phlegm” — substances said to cover food when dental hygiene is neglected.
bhattamassa chādeti — “food agrees with them” — the fifth benefit of using a chew stick.
The text
The discourse in full: five drawbacks of neglecting dental hygiene, and five matching benefits. Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0, SuttaCentral).
Five drawbacks of not using chew sticks
§1“Mendicants, there are these five drawbacks of not using chew sticks. What five? It’s not good for your eyes, you get bad breath, your taste-buds aren’t cleaned, bile and phlegm cover your food, and you lose your appetite. These are the five drawbacks of not using chew sticks.
Five benefits of using them
§2There are these five benefits of using chew sticks. What five? It’s good for your eyes, you don’t get bad breath, your taste-buds are cleaned, bile and phlegm don’t cover your food, and food agrees with you. These are the five benefits of using chew sticks.”
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Self-check quiz
Ten questions. Click an answer to see immediate feedback. No score is recorded — this is for your own checking.
Question 1 of 10
What is a 'dantakaṭṭha'?
Correct: A. This discourse's title concept and central subject.
Question 2 of 10
What five drawbacks does neglecting dental hygiene cause, according to this discourse?
Correct: A. Five concrete physical consequences of neglect.
Question 3 of 10
How does the benefits list relate to the drawbacks list?
Correct: A. The same five concerns, reversed.
Question 4 of 10
What does 'rasaharaṇiyo' refer to?
Correct: A. Whether cleaned or left unclean, depending on chew-stick use.
Question 5 of 10
What structural pattern does this discourse share with much doctrinal content in this collection?
Correct: A. Applied here to a matter of basic bodily care.
Question 6 of 10
What does 'pittaṁ semhaṁ' mean?
Correct: A. Substances said to cover food when dental hygiene is neglected.
Question 7 of 10
What discourse does this pair with, forming a practical duo in this chapter?
Correct: A. Together reflecting this chapter's interest in daily physical life.
Question 8 of 10
What does 'acakkhussaṁ' mean?
Correct: A. The first drawback of neglecting a chew stick.
Question 9 of 10
What does this discourse's use of a strict doctrinal-style schema for hygiene suggest?
Correct: A. The same careful structure applied without adjustment.
Question 10 of 10
What chapter does this discourse belong to?
Correct: A. 'With Kimbila', this session's twenty-first chapter.
