9 Unique Ways to Clean Your Teeth and Gums without Using Toothpaste

Taking care of our bodies is an important daily routine. From washing our hair to eating properly, it’s necessary to take care of ourselves. Dental hygiene is also a vital step. However, sometimes the tools we use can be harmful. The chemicals in toothpaste, like fluoride and titanium, can have damaging effects like causing acne or even cancer. There are a host of healthier, natural options for cleaning your teeth. Here are nine unique ways to clean your teeth and gums without toothpaste.

1. Coconut Oil

Coconut oil is a great addition to any beauty or health regimen. It’s an excellent hair and skin moisturizer, and can be used as a natural cleaner for your teeth. Coconut oil has antibacterial and antifungal properties which makes it great for preventing oral conditions like gingivitis or cavities. It can also be combined with baking soda or used for oil pulling.

2. Dry Brushing

This will definitely feel a little strange at first. But dry brushing is a great option if you can’t be bothered to search through all the natural options. Be mindful of using a toothbrush with soft bristles in order to avoid any scratches or damage to your teeth and gums.

3. Baking Soda

This is easily one of the most popular alternatives to traditional toothpaste. You can either use it without adding anything; just coat your brush in it, then brush as normal. Another option is to dissolve the baking soda and then brush with the solution. This is also a great method for cleaning your Invisalign aligners or dentures. Just let them soak in the solution. If the idea of brushing with baking soda is too far-fetched for your taste, you can use it instead to make your own mouthwash.

4. Oil Pulling

This is a fairly recent trend that is a great way to maintain your oral health without any expensive additions. You can use a variety of oils but coconut oil is the most popular. Swish the oil around your mouth for about a minute and a half before brushing with plain water or another healthy alternative like baking soda.

5. Strawberries and Tomatoes

Using fruit as a natural substitute is an effective solution in various aspects of life, generally for diets. But they can also be beneficial for your oral health, as well. Both strawberries and tomatoes have high levels of Vitamin C. The Vitamin C will stimulate your body’s natural healing. Apply the fruit pulp directly to your teeth and let it sit for roughly 5 minutes to soften the plaque that’s built up from daily eating. Afterwards, rinse with a mix of warm water and baking soda.

6. Aloe Vera

Aloe Vera is a great natural ingredient that is used for a variety of ailments. People generally think of hydrogen peroxide as a cleaner for wounds or cuts. That’s why it’s great for dental maintenance. While also helping to maintain your oral health, it will help keep your teeth white, as well. Dip your toothbrush in the hydrogen peroxide before brushing. You can combine this with other natural remedies, too.

7. Green Tea

This one works as both an external and internal remedy. You’ll want to drink one or two glasses of green tea extract per day. Studies have shown that doing so will help reduce the rate of periodontal disease and protect your oral health in the long-term.

8. Clove Oil  

This is a great option if you have problems with bleeding gums or any other form of periodontal disease. You’ll find clove oil in many of the treatments for gum so using it alone makes for an even stronger solution. The best and easiest way to use this is to gently rub it into your gums. While initially, there is a slight burning situation it will disappear with continued use.

9. Sea Salt

Sea salt is not just a benefit to your diet. It’s also a great addition to your oral routine. Because the granules are large, they do a great job of rubbing away debris. If you’re worried that the grains might do damage, you can dissolve the salt into warm water before brushing.

Sources:

9 Unique Ways to Clean Your Teeth and Gums without Using Toothpaste

Healthy Homemade Toothpaste; Replace Dangerous Fluoride, How it Works?

Did you know that your generic supermarket brand toothpastes are highly toxic? Mostly toothpaste contain harmful chemicals such as Fluoride, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, sodium lauryl sulfate, and triclosan which has actually been shown to weaken tooth enamel over the long-term use. Fluoride is a toxic industrial waste product that is a poison to your body even in trace amounts, yet it is added to the majority of US water supplies using the rationale that it helps prevent dental cavities. Colgate Total, has recently been linked to cancer and many other health risks. It also used in deodorants, laundry detergents, antiseptics for wounds, and hand sanitizers – is added to Colgate toothpaste for its antibacterial, anti-fungal, and preservative properties.

Are you aware that you can create your own toothpaste at home with just a few easy ingredients that you might already have in your kitchen? Homemade toothpaste tastes good, totally natural and easy to make.

Homemade Natural Toothpaste Recipe

Ingredients:

Extra-virgin coconut oil
Baking soda
Turmeric powder
Peppermint extract (optional)

Instructions:

Put 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin coconut oil in a bowl.
Add 2 tablespoons of baking soda.
Optionally, add 10 to 15 drops of peppermint extract to the bowl.
Last but not least, add ½ to 1 teaspoon of turmeric powder.
Mix the ingredients with a nonmetallic spatula or spoon until you get a smooth paste-like consistency.
Your homemade toothpaste is ready to use.

How Coconut Oil Toothpaste Works

Coconut oil is antifungal, antibacterial, and antimicrobial. According to study coconut oil destroys the bacteria that can cause tooth decay. Numerous studies have shown that toothpaste made from coconut oil is effective in getting rid of streptococci mutans, which is the bacterium that handles teeth decomposition. Researchers say that if you massage some coconut oil onto the gums for 10 minutes a day, for three wees, you will significantly reduce Streptococcus mutans, a decay-causing bacteria, and plaque.

How to Use This Toothpaste

Swish a spoonful of extra virgin coconut oil around in your mouth for 15-20 minutes. Make sure to not swallow the oil as it contains all the nasty mouth bugs. Spit it out in the bin and rinse teeth with water.

Sources:

A Simple Toothpaste Recipe – http://www.bestherbalhealth.com/coconut-oil-turmeric-toothpaste/

Reasons to Start Using Coconut Oil- http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-18229/6-reasons-to-start-using-coconut-oil-as-toothpaste.html

Also Look:

Healthy Homemade Toothpaste; Replace Dangerous Fluoride, How it Works?

A Simple Toothpaste Recipe – Natural Teeth Whitening With Coconut Oil and Turmeric

Homemade toothpaste tastes good, totally natural and easy to make. And use homemade toothpaste with natural ingredients can help you avoid the common dangerous ingredients that existed in the commercial toothpaste.

Here is a simple and effective turmeric-coconut oil toothpaste you can make to help you remove the stains and keep your teeth healthy.

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon coconut oil


• 1 teaspoon turmeric


• A few drops of peppermint oil

You can use other essential oils instead of peppermint oil as you wish, and mix the ingredients until you get a smooth paste.

Place the toothpaste on your toothbrush and brush normally.

Why Coconut Oil is Good For Your Teeth

Coconut oil contains lauric acid, which can kill the bacterias that cause gum disease, bad breath, and tooth decay.

The buildup of dental plaque is one of the most common causes for gum disease, many studies have found that oil pulling with coconut oil can decrease plaque buildup effectively, thus preventing gum disease.

Turmeric Is A Powerful Ingredient For Homemade Toothpaste

Lots of studies have found that curcumin in turmeric has antibacterial properties, makes it a good agent to kill the harmful bacterias and keep your teeth healthy.

Turmeric also has an amazing whitening effect.

Turmeric cleans your mouth as it has anti-inflammatory properties. It also helps reduce the swelling and irritation of gums.

Peppermint Oil Makes Your Toothpaste Smells Good

The join of peppermint oil helps you freshen the breath thanks to its pleasant smell. Besides, it also has anti-infectious properties to help you treat the gum and dental infections.

Other Good Oils You Can Choose For Homemade Toothpaste

Choose the right essential oils will give you the right scent, and also help kill off the bacteria at the same time, except peppermint oil, there are more options for you:

• Tea tree oil


• Orange oil


• Lavender oil


• Rosemary oil


• Thyme oil


• Oregano oil


• Cinnamon Bark oil


• Chamomile oil

Sources: authoritynutrition.com/ bestherbalhealth.com/ healthdiaries.com

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Your soap and toothpaste could be messing with your microbiome

Antimicrobial chemicals found in common household products could be wreaking havoc with people’s guts, according to a research paper out this week in the journal Science.

Triclosan is an antibacterial compound used in soaps, detergent and toothpaste, as well as toys and plastics. It was originally only used in hospitals, but it found its way into homes as Americans became more germ-phobic. (However, recent studies have found it no more effective at killing bacteria than plain soap.)

Related: Antibacterial soap with triclosan ‘no better at killing germs’ – study

Now, there are growing concerns about the possible negative effects of the chemical on human health and the environment. According to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), animal studies have shown that the chemical can act as a hormone disruptor. A 2008 study found traces of triclosan in the urine of 75% of the participants – some as young as six. The chemical has also been found in more than half of freshwater streams in the US.

The latest research paper, written by academics from the University of Chicago, focused on the lesser-known effects of triclosan exposure on the bacteria in people’s guts.

Disturbing the human microbiome has been “linked to a wide array of diseases and metabolic disorders, including obesity, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and behavioral and metabolic disorders,” wrote the paper’s authors, Alyson L Yee and Jack A Gilbert.

Yee and Gilbert examined conflicting research on just how the chemical impacts gut microbiomes. Studies using zebrafish and fathead minnows found that triclosan changed gut bacteria, but that the microbiomes recovered once exposure to the chemical was stopped. However, another study on biofilms in rivers found that the gut remained altered even after triclosan was removed.

To test the chemical’s effect in humans, researchers from Stanford and Cornell universities gave seven volunteers triclosan-containing products, such as toothpaste and liquid soap, to use for four months. After that period, the same volunteers were switched to products without triclosan. The volunteers were compared with a second group who first used the non-triclosan products, then changed to those containing triclosan.

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The results showed that more triclosan was found in the urine of all the participants during the periods when they were using triclosan-containing products.

Yee and Gilbert also suggested that exposure to triclosan could be even more detrimental to the health of developing fetuses and newborns than to adults. A 2014 New York University study found that gut disruptions in early infancy could have lasting negative effects on immune and brain development.

The authors suggest that further studies are needed to understand the chemical’s effects on the human body.

Triclosan could also be contributing to antibiotic resistance, which scientists believe is caused by the overuse of antimicrobials in humans and animals. There are partial bans of the chemical in the European Union and in Minnesota, and the FDA says it will continue reviewing the chemical for its safety.

“Future research should explore the role of dose, timing, and route of triclosan exposure,” the paper’s authors wrote. “Humans are exposed to triclosan transiently and in small doses, but the presence of triclosan in surface, ground and drinking water indicates its potential to persist and accumulate in the environment.”

Your soap and toothpaste could be messing with your microbiome