Natural toothpaste alternatives are all the rage these days. So, what’s wrong with toothpaste? Well, like most commercial health and beauty products on the market, toothpaste has been industrialized over the years. Here are just a few of the questionable ingredients commonly found in commercial toothpastes:
Fluoride. While fluoride is supposedly the ingredient that prevents cavities, it doesn’t do that job
very well and can actually be very toxic to the body. In fact, if you suffer from acne outbreaks around the mouth and chin area, fluoride toothpaste may be the cause! (If you haven’t already, check out The Case Against Fluoride
and The Fluoride Deception for more information.) Fluoride-free toothpastes are becoming more common, but unfortunately it’s not the only ingredient in toothpaste you should be avoiding.
Titanium dioxide. There are some concerns that titanium dioxide is carcinogenic. The biggest problem is that nano-sized particles of titanium dioxide can be absorbed through the mouth and may cause toxic damage in the cells of the body.
Glycerin. This is found in almost every toothpaste on the market (even the natural ones). Glycerin helps give toothpaste its pasty texture and keeps it from drying out. But it can also leave a coating on your teeth that prevents them from remineralizing.
Sodium lauryl sulfate. It gives you the foamy cleaning action we all expect from toothpaste, but sodium lauryl sulfate is also a strong chemical surfactant that doesn’t belong in our bodies.
Artificial sweeteners. I don’t know about you, but I generally avoid chemical sweeteners like sorbitol and saccharin. Unfortunately, these are commonly used in commercial toothpaste to make them taste sweet.
So, what are some natural toothpaste alternatives? I asked you on The Nourished Life Facebook Fan Page what you use instead of commercial toothpaste. And as I expected, you all gave some great responses–so many that I really couldn’t list them all! But here are twelve ideas to get you started:
1. Sea Salt
How much more natural can you get than brushing your teeth with salt from the sea? It’s easy, too: just dab your toothbrush in sea salt and brush away as usual. Concerned about abrasion? Me, too. You can also dissolve the salt in water first and then dip your brush in the saltwater before brushing.
2. Baking Soda
This has got to be one of the most popular toothpaste alternatives. Like sea salt, you can just dip your toothbrush in baking soda and brush like normal. Or you can dissolve it in water first and use the brine for brushing (just like the sea salt). A lot of people use baking soda as a base for homemade tooth powder. You mix it with a few drops of peppermint essential oil and stevia
3. Hydrogen Peroxide
Hydrogen peroxide is known for keeping teeth clean and white, and many people use it instead of toothpaste. Jessica on Facebook suggests, “Dip your toothbrush in hydrogen peroxide and then in a 50/50 mixture of baking soda and fine sea salt.” The only potential problem with hydrogen peroxide is if you have amalgam fillings: peroxide may leach mercury from your fillings.
4. Herbal Tooth Powders
Herbal tooth powders can be used in place of toothpaste. They do a good job of cleaning, and the herbal ingredients can also help ease inflammation, pain and infection throughout the mouth.
5. Dry Brushing
It doesn’t get much more simple than this. Tired of looking for a natural toothpaste alternative? According to some, there’s no need to use anything at all: dry brushing does the job. But while it does seem to work well enough, there’s no minty mouth feel (like we’re all used to, of course) and might feel a little strange.
6. Brush with Pure Water
If dry brushing doesn’t quite cut it for you, try brushing with pure water. This also works surprisingly well for clearing debris from the teeth, but you still don’t get that minty mouth feel.
7. All Natural Soap
Yes, you can brush your teeth with soap. I’ve tried this one a few times, and while it does work, it also tastes pretty, well, soapy. Not exactly the experience I was looking for personally. But if you decide to try it, trying a natural soap like peppermint castile soap.
8. Tooth Soap
For those who aren’t keen on using actual soap in their mouths, there are quite a lot of brands of specially designed tooth soaps on the market. Just try to find one without additives.
9. Coconut Oil
Coconut oil is another great natural toothpaste alternative. Its antifungal and antibacterial properties come in handy for mouth cleaning. Coconut oil can be used alone and combined with other ingredients listed here (like baking soda and essential oils). For a great source of quality coconut oil, check out the marketplace!
Getting a Waterpik has been on my to-do list ever since I read Cure Tooth Decay by Rami Nagel. But I don’t
11. Essential Oils
These can be bought at a local health food store or from a reputable online store like iHerb.com. Check out this post for some great recipes for homemade tooth powder, mouthwash and more using essential oils.
You can also find an excellent essential oil formula for brushing here at Ora Wellness.
Sometimes I just use a drop or two of peppermint oil on my dampened toothbrush if I want a quick and easy way to get my mouth feeling clean and minty fresh.
12. Oil Pulling
Never heard of it? Here’s a post that explains what oil pulling is and how to do it. Basically you swish about one tablespoon of oil (I use coconut oil) for several minutes. Then brush with plain water or use one of the methods listed above. Trust me, your teeth have never felt this clean!
Want to learn how to brush your teeth? Check out this post about the Bass brushing technique!
Need to source some of these natural ingredients? Check out the marketplace!
Do you have a favorite natural toothpaste alternative? Please share in the comment section below!
This post is part of Fight Back Friday and Real Food Wednesday.
I’ve been using a mixture of coconut oil, baking soda and peppermint essential oils for a couple months now and I have to say that it works amazing. I never get that fuzzy teeth feeling anymore even if I go 24 hours without brushing (it does happen sometimes!). I use it on my 22 month old as well, although he often prefers the dry brushing or water brushing as the homemade “toothpaste” can take some getting used to. Hope whoever reads The Nourished Life’s post tries it out, its pretty great (and a whole lot cheaper).
I like this recipe Angela. The coconut oil has so many healing/restorative properties, the soda works well (just be careful to not brush the gum line too much with it as soda can irritate gum tissue). Peppermint oil is also an effective anti microbial for some of the bacteria that cause gum disease.
We prefer to use our Brushing Blend as it is formulated with both warming and cooling Organic essential oils. Not only does the formula more broadly address all the bacterial strains that cause gum disease and tooth decay, it also will not imbalance the system by using it over time. That’s my one warning using just peppermint oil. It’s very cooling and can cause imbalance (cool the body’s fire) over time.
Check out http://www.OraWellness.com. I think you would like it as an addition to your homemade paste!
To your health!
I just started keeping it simple. No need for toothpaste! I brush with water, floss, swish with a natural mouthwash and baking soda sometimes, or peroxide. I think baking soda is too abrasive to brush with, but good to swish!
While you can brush with baking soda, you must be cautious to only brush the teeth and not overdo it on the gum line as baking soda can irritate gum tissue and actually cause gum recession!
We recommend to also be cautious using hydrogen peroxide in the mouth. Again, it’s very effective. First off, be sure you dilute it with water AT LEAST 50%. If you begin to have greater tooth sensitivity, it’s the peroxide, guaranteed. Peroxide can increase tooth sensitivity, so use sparingly! Occasional use is suggested…
To your health!
Best toothpaste ever!
http://www.uncleharrys.com/store/product_info.php/products_id/537/osCsid/fd9ce21f85fdade3ff6659c6c8f35412
Made with clay, minerals, essential oils. My teeth are not as sensitive anymore, they are whiter than ever before and I don’t get gum inflammation anymore.
We recently switched to Pascalite Clay. It is amazing! Our teeth get so very clean and stay clean all day long.
I use a mixture of dolomite, baking soda and just a few drops of cinnamon leaf oil. You can use other oils (such as spearmint or peppermint) too. Helps with remineralizing teeth.
Dolomite and clay are great options, especially since they can be so rich in minerals. Direct contact with minerals does help teeth remineralize.
We use something similar combined with our Brushing Blend, a formula of organic essential oils that effectively addresses the ‘bad bugs’ involved with gum disease and tooth decay.
To your health!
Love this post!! I’m in the middle of reading “Cure Tooth Decay” with Rami Nagel, and it has been amazing to have new insights into the care of our teeth!! Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Rami’s books are great tools to help folks take better care of their oral health, as well as whole being health! We at OraWellness encourage a two prong approach to addressing oral health. 1. Like Rami’s work (essentially Dr. Price’s work reformatted), address whole system immune support first. 2. Reduce the bacterial load in the mouth using SAFE (aka organic) products that efffectively kill the bacteria that cause gum disease.
To your health!
Will
each day, after i put a bit of toothpaste on my brush, i dip it in a glass of baking soda i keep on the sink space. i swear by baking soda a whitening aid. i’ve drank coffee for years, and get compliments on the whiteness of my teeth quite often. so glad i found your site. i’m recovering from (what appears to be) a mild case of adrenal fatigue. i’m so grateful i’m able to make these food/lifestyle changes now and begin the healing process.
i want to add that YES, i’ve cut out caffeine as i’m healing my body!
@790852805f6c47627b611b2f43f05ecd:disqus Toosday Adreanl fatigue is a biggie and most of us have it in our fast paced lives. A good arenal support supplement is a good idea as well as all the healthy eating. Have you read the book Adrenal Fatigue by James Wilson? Lots of info inthere.
@790852805f6c47627b611b2f43f05ecd:disqus , just please use caution when brushing with baking soda. Soda is an excellent abrasive to clean the surface of the teeth, but when applied to the gum line, baking soda can irritate the gum line and cause gum recession. Be gentle on the gums!
To your health!
Liz, I used your recipe for several months and loved it! But….my hygenist said my gums were spongey….so I went back to icky store bought and the gums weren’t “spongey” at my next visit. I was so disappointed! I think I’ll have to try one of the other alternatives.
Some folks do have trouble when using baking soda. It can be too abrasive. If you notice any problems I definitely recommend trying another method!
@e7e442552ce17cf788c773ee0f3462b2:disqus , you have to be careful using baking soda when brushing the teeth. While I do recommend using baking soda, one must be careful to only brush the teeth with it and not the gum line. Baking soda is very abrasive and can irritate sensitive gum tissue. It makes sense that your gums were soft. We encourage anyone looking for oral care solutions to check out http://www.OraWellness.com. We offer Organic solutions to many dental challenges.
To your health!
I have used the oil pulling with cocnut oil andonce you get used to it it works really well!
Oil pulling is the best thing that happened to my teeth and gums.
In the past, I’ve used baking soda, oil pulling and a homemade toothpaste with coconut oil, baking soda, stevia leaf and essential oils. I recently started using another homemade toothpaste that I started making (planning to post soon) that I had my holistic dentist look at. He said it could quite possibly remineralize teeth… either way, it tastes great!
I love these suggestions – I think the coconut oil and sea salt combo is what I will try.
@christyirc:disqus , please apply caution when using sea salt in the mouth. While salt is an excellent anti microbial, it is very strong, so start with just a little. Salt can damage gum tissue if used in too high of concentrations.
To your health!
We use xylitol. My 7yo who has had terrible dental problems in the past, has a perfectly healthy mouth now. I flavour it with cinnamon or peppermint oil.
Xylitol is anti-fungal, anti-bacterial and can help to remineralize teeth.
I did dry brushing before adding my toothpaste for a few months and at my next dental appointment the dental hygienist was very impressed with how clean the surface of my teeth were. Can’t say the same for in between, though, as I hate flossing. Now I use ecodent which I love and a little bottle lasts forever. I may try making my own tooth powder next or switching to some [url=http://www.etsy.com/listing/71025742/peppermint-tooth-powder-4oz?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=App_Seller&utm_campaign=fb_seller_item&utm_content=items]peppermint tooth powder[/url] a friend carries in her etsy shop which I’ve tried and really liked.
I did dry brushing before adding my toothpaste for a few months and at my next dental appointment the dental hygienist was very impressed with how clean the surface of my teeth were. Can’t say the same for in between, though, as I hate flossing. Now I use ecodent which I love and a little bottle lasts forever. I may try making my own tooth powder next or switching to some http://www.etsy.com/listing/71…peppermint tooth powder a friend carries in her etsy shop which I’ve tried and really liked.
This is so timely for my family since I had just started using a vegan toothpaste called Dr. Fresh but my store stopped carrying it. I’ve been searching for another brand and was using plain baking soda. My kids have been complaining loudly about the taste was trying to figure out how to mask it. Some great ideas here. Thanks.
I’m sorry but really? really? The fluoride comment reminds me of some old political cartoons. Fluoride is naturally found in ALL water and foods. Titanium dioxide is in oreos and plenty of other foods. Glycerin is the backbone of all triglycerides in your liver. Sodium Lauryl sulfate is merely a sodium salt of a natural fatty acid, your body contains tons of it already. And artificial sweeteners are all you are left with to complain about.
You’re absolutely right. Fluoride is a naturally occurring substance. No argument there. But so is lead and arsenic. Just because something is found in nature doesn’t mean we need to be adding it to our water supply and dental care products.
And there’s a lot of things in Oreos I don’t want in my body. That’s not really a convincing argument for the safety of titanium dioxide.
As for the sodium lauryl sulfate, you raise a good point. Some surfactants can be highly irritating and others are better tolerated. Some are naturally derived, and some are chemically derived. And you often can’t tell by what’s on the label unless they specify.
The concern about glycerin is mainly that it can leave a coating on your teeth that prevents saliva from naturally remineralizing teeth. Of course, this is just a logical concern and hasn’t been verified by research yet. But it’s worth considering, whether or not glycerin is a natural substance.
Gonna reiterate a few things. Fluoride is in ALL food and water. Lead and arsenic are not. You don’t have to add fluoride to water for it to be there.
Titanium dioxide is in alot of other food products as well. Milk for example. If they want to make food look whiter chances are they use titanium dioxide.
Whether synthetic or natural sodium lauryl sulfate is sodium lauryl sulfate. You could argue about the trace components, but they are trace components. As for the effects of SDS I direct or attention to:
CIR publication (1983). “Final Report on the Safety Assessment of Sodium Lauryl Sulfate and Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate”. International Journal of Toxicology 2 (7): 127–181.
Healy CM, Paterson M, Joyston-Bechal S, Williams DM, Thornhill MH (1999 Jan). “The effect of a sodium lauryl sulfate-free dentifrice on patients with recurrent oral ulceration”. Oral Dis. 5 (1): 39–43.
Which state it is neither a carcinogen nor does its addition to toothpaste cause ulcers as it was once thought.
I’ll yeild to your empirical observation about glycerin. Different people may have different experiences. Glycerin is found in small amounts in fruit and vegetable oils so one could have the same experience with your suggestions. There is no question glycerin is a natural substance, simple biochemistry.
I understand what you’re saying. Believe me, I don’t like to demonize ingredients nor is my goal to strike fear in the hearts of anyone using fluoridated toothpaste or commercial products in general. That’s just not me.
But when it comes down to it, I like to avoid unnecessary additives in my food and in my health and beauty products. Just because titanium dioxide makes commercial milk white doesn’t mean I want to put it in my body. If I can avoid it, I will. And just because fluoride naturally occurs in water doesn’t mean I want even more fluoride added to my water supply (one of my mantras is that more isn’t better!). Again, if I can avoid it, I will.
It was my understanding that the type of fluoride they use in toothpaste and city water supplies is a synthetic version that acts differently in the body than the natural version acts…
One of the mindless brainwashed (thinking he’s a debunker) has chimed in to reiterate the mass media propaganda. Fluoride is one of the biggest scams ever pushed onto the population.
While fluoride might be found naturally in some foods or in trace amounts that is much different than adding processed fluoride. Cyndie is deadly and is also found in certain foods as well as many other natural substances that change when processed and concentrated.
Fluoride also a waste by product from the aluminum industry, it is not needed to for dental health, many dentist have come out an said so that were brave enough to go against the establishment. In fact where heavy usage of fluoride was added to water supplies there was modeling of the teeth found in children. Yes the fluoride causes damage to the teeth.
It also causes calcification of the pineal gland, and is known to make people weak willed and easily controlled. Gee I wonder why it was put in the water and tooth paste people use every day.
Sodium Laural Sulfate is banned in many countries. It is also known to cause cause canker sores in the mouth, and is bad for the scalp in shampoo and has been linked to as one of the causes of hair loss.
And before you point to the ADA or ADHA. Remeber these are the same people that say it’s ok to put Mercury amalgams into peoples mouths.
Yes let’s put a massively toxic substance into a person mouth, of course the doctor and nurses have to wear masks and gloves it’ so toxic and if you have the removed there are even more precautions.
But this is perfectly safe to put into a person mouth. In spite of ton of evidence of cases studies of people that developed diseases after getting Mercury fillings and after having them removed their health improved.
Yes the establishment is who I want to trust with my health.
Great suggestions in the blog. If we may make some suggestions.
1. We completely agree about most commercial toothpastes having questionable ingredients. Number 1 principle for us to create greater health/vitality is ‘stop putting toxin into the body’. Fluoride, SLS, glycerin, artificial flavors and colors all fall into this toxic load on the body.
2. Please exercise caution when using baking soda, hydrogen peroxide and sea salt in the mouth. While they each have their place, they are all very strong and can irritate conditions.
Specifically, make sure you dilute peroxide AT LEAST 50% with water (maybe even more) when using it in the mouth. Full strength 3% peroxide irritates gum tissue and increases tooth sensitivity.
Baking soda is a great abrasive as well as anti microbial agent. However, baking soda is so abrasive that it can irritate gum tissue and increase receding gums. So, brush your teeth with baking soda, but stay clear of your gum line with it.
Sea salt is fantastic but must be used in moderation (again) as salt can burn gum tissue. To prove this, just put some salt on your tongue and leave it there for a few moments. It will start to feel like it’s burning (because it is!). So, again, dilute the sea salt…
3. Dry brushing is an excellent idea. When you consider that saliva really has everything our mouth’s need to create optimal health, brushing with saliva starts to really make sense! Here’s a link to a free instructional video on the healing benefits of saliva titled “Mouth Probiotics”. http://www.OraWellness.com/Videos/video-tutorials.html (you’ll also find a video there describing a brushing technique helpful to reduce gum disease)
4. Coconut oil is fabulous to use in the mouth! Oil pulling is an excellent protocol to help create and maintain oral health.
5. Irrigators are great as well. Two points on irrigators, first, only use them on low pressures as high pressure can literally push the bacteria in gum pockets into the bloodstream. Second, irrigators only get 4mm down into gum pockets. So, if you have receding gums, chronic bad breath or know you have been diagnosed with periodontal disease, you need to be able to kill the bacteria in the base of the gum pockets. Here is a link to Susan’s story and how she reversed a 10+ mm pocket to only 3mm! http://www.orawellness.com/OraWellness-HealThy-Mouth-System/susans-story.html
6. Last, be careful using only peppermint oil in the mouth. While peppermint is an effective anti microbial, it is cooling and may cause imbalance in the system over time if used by itself. Our Brushing Blend is a very effective formula of both warming and cooling oils (so neutral). Also, it’s all Organic and wildcrafted, so you know you are getting the best possible quality.
If you have read this far, please consider checking out our site, http://www.OraWellness.com. Here is a coupon for 10% off our products. Just put 10forfriends in the coupon code when checking out.
We wish you all increased health and vitality!
To your health!
Thanks for stopping by and commenting! These are really great suggestions and address a lot of the common concerns about natural dental care. The points about baking soda and sea salt are important, since this is where a lot of folks run into trouble.
If any of you haven’t had a chance to check out the Ora Wellness site, go take a look. They have some excellent information about natural dental care!
Thanks for a great post and reply – I’m learning a lot! I’m a soap maker (professionally) and I’m now keen to now start making my own toothpaste. I had a lot of questions that you’ve pretty much now answered
In addition to brushing my teeth I also use the ayurvedic technique of oil pulling to maintain good oral health.
Here’s a link to my site in case you’re interested http://www.allnaturalsoap.co.uk
BTW – I haven’t tried brushing my teeth with my natural soap…at least not yet!
Many commercial toothpastes use fluoride as well as the toxic triclosan. Can they make it any more toxic?
I like the Tropical Traditions teeth cleaner, which only contains: purified water, organic virgin coconut oil, baking soda, xanthum gum, wildcrafted myrrh powder, stevia, and organic essential oils of cinnamon and clove, if you get the cinnamon flavor, as I do because I take homeopathics so need to avoid mint (which is surprisingly difficult to do). I’ve tried tooth soap but it kind of burns my mouth and tongue so I find it is too harsh for me. I also lilke Peelu dental fibers, which are fibers from a tree and I find it very effective at cleaning my teeth, as well as my partial denture, which can be difficult to get clean.
This is amazing. Even though I make soap with coconut oil I never dreamed I could clean my teeth with it. Cool, weird but really cool. Thanks for the tips. BTW I love the pic you put with this post!
I typically use water. I also have a Waterpik, though. And I floss, of course!
I signed up for your email list
I’ve also been using the coconut oil/baking soda mixture, and I’m happy with the results!
I’ve been enjoying reading the various natural recipes/remedies on this site. Thank you for creating awareness around the power of going raw and natural vs blindly following the commercial hype!
Best,
Luca,
http://www.peacefulcoaching.webs.com
I use an excellent product (mentioned above) called Tooth Soap, with a Sonicare electric toothbrush. First, to get rid of that “fuzzy feeling”, I’ll brush with the dry Sonicare. Then I’ll wet the Sonicare and use the Tooth Soap. My teeth and gums have never looked or felt so clean and strong. Sometimes I’ll also use magnesium gel before or after brushing with Tooth Soap to whiten my teeth, and it works very well. I found out about this by reading “The Magnesium Miracle” by Dr. Carolyn Dean. Yes, using a soap product to brush my teeth was weird at first, but I’ll never go back to toothpaste, which definitely does leave a film as there is vegetable glycerin in it. One of these days, I want to try the “oil pulling” technique.
I make my own soap, with lard I rendered from healthy pigs, olive oil and coconut oil. I use that to brush my teeth. You could also use Kiss My Face olive oil soap, or another soap that has all natural ingredients, no additives. On occasion, I rinse with sea salt and/or baking soda dissolved in water, or diluted hydrogen peroxide. But not every day — maybe once a week.
Not dissing waterpiks, but a cheaper alternative way to ‘pik’ is by swishing! You can get some serious jaw exercises in here plus clean out stuff between your teeth. I swish after meals, coffee, first thing in the morning, before bed time. Mostly anytime I drink water. For a mouth wash I put 10% peroxide, 90% filtered water and a few drops of my favorite essential oils, clove, peppermint, licorice. I like to brush my teeth with just plain ol’ finely ground licorice root!
I think you’re onto something, Joy. Swishing does do something for oral health, and I think that’s part of why oil pulling works so well.
I like to swish after flossing and before brushing. Plus then I am not just spreading the loose stuff all over the teeth afterwards.
Wow, what great suggestions. I have been struggling to find a natural toothpaste that we like and doesn’t have the “yuck” in it. Thank you for this post – I am going to try several of these and see what I can get my family on board with
You’re welcome! I hope one of these methods works for you guys. I know sometimes it can be hard to get the family on board with this kind of thing!
I have combined sea salt with baking powder. Does a great job. For oral rinse a few drops of peppermint oil and hydrogen peroxide with a pinch of sea salt.
I brush with magnesium oil. I put some in a dropper bottle added a bit of peppermint extract for flavor and minty freshness…then put a few drops on my toothbrush and brush like normal….and it is super good for your gums too!
That’s a great idea! Thanks for sharing.
It was recommended to me that the hydrogen peroxide be food-grade: this was well reviewed – http://www.amazon.com/35-Food-Grade-Hydrogen-Peroxide/dp/B0050DS18U/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top
That’s a great suggestion! I’ve heard a lot of good stuff about food grade hydrogen peroxide.
Also, I just pointed to this article in a post: http://nourishingourchildren.wordpress.com/2012/03/20/1131/ – thank you for the resources!
Thanks for sharing this post, Sandrine!
actually ive been using baking soda with an organic lemon squeezed over it.my teeth are hella white now
I would be careful with using Lemon on your teeth for to long, It can remove the enamel.
are any of these safe for dogs?
To be on the safe side, coconut oil, baking soda and sea salt are probably the best options for canines.
Never give Xylitol to dogs. Salt and coconut oil would be a good recipe for a dog, and just the brushing action would do a lot!
I like using clay on my teeth. Earthpaste is simply bentonite clay, sea salt which is flavoured with cinnamon essential oil. It is surprisingly effective at whitening the teeth.
Clay is an interesting idea, I never thought of that!
I found Ipsab tooth powder does not clean very well. My teeth were pretty stained from coffee/teas.
I got it because it does not contain glycerin. Not worth it, though.
I have temporarily gone to standard toothpaste because of that.
It can take a little trial and error to find a toothpaste alternative that works for you. Luckily there are a lot of ideas out there to try out!
Remember not to spit the coconut oil in the drains! The oil is solid in room temperature so as soon as it meets anything temperate or warmer it will go solid and ultimately clog your pipes. Spit in the toilet instead.
Thanks for the tip! That’s good to remember.
So I usually use a well-known toothpaste brand made with baking soda. I’ve been meaning to get a different type because for some reason, my mouth just tastes horrible after I brush. Something about the after flavor left from the toothpaste really bothers me. I tried sea salt with some ground clove to brush initially, then I added a couple drops of peppermint oil to some bottled water and rinsed my mouth with it. My teeth feel amazing and the only aftertaste I have now is mint with a hint of clove. The initial shock of salt in your mouth is slightly off-putting, but I think I may stick to it from now on and ditch the commercial toothpaste. It didn’t strike me as overly abrasive, maybe because salt seems to dissolve pretty quickly.
Thanks for the sea salt alternative idea.
Cool! I love how effective these simple, natural combinations are. I don’t know what it is about salt, but it really does make my mouth feel clean. Like you said, the initial salty sensation is kind of odd, but it really feels clean afterwards!
My four kids and I have used a variety of the above toothpaste ideas. My concern is our dental appointment this month. What kind of polish do we allow. I am sure what they use is not at all natural. I also would like to tell her we will not be doing floride treatments anymore….and all those X-rays…well.
I concur about the water pik! It gets back there in the molars where you can’t reach very well with the floss, and behind your teeth too–I have some overlap, and it gets in all the hard to reach places–my gums are super healthy now too because of it.
Brushing without anything didn’t work for me. After about six months I had brown spots on my teeth which went away with a single brushing with toothpaste.
Thanks for the comment, Benjy, that’s good to know. I personally don’t feel comfortable brushing with nothing (I do like the minty clean mouth feel!), so I’ve never done it.
This might sound a little crazy to some, but I actually brush my teeth with a mixture of powdered cloves and cayenne pepper.
When I’m done, I add a couple drops each of cedarwood essential oil, cypress essential oil and spearmint essential oil to a glass of water and use it as a rinse.
Can’t believe how much whiter one or both of those processes has made my teeth!
Great ideas! Thanks for sharing. I’ve never thought of using cayenne pepper before–I would have thought it would burn!
As an economy measure, I began brushing my teeth with only baking soda and water about a year and a half ago. Suddenly about a month ago I began experiencing such pain in one tooth that I feared another abscess…until ALL the teeth became so temperature and pressure (chewing) sensitive that it was dreadful. So many times I’d read that baking soda (clay, as well) are too abrasive, but I figured I wasn’t having any problems so it’s all good, right? Well, I had to do something about the pain. First thing I did was return to oil pulling (sesame oil). This reduced the pain almost immediately. Then I researched homemade toothpastes and decided on the toothsoap recipe at Homestead Wannabes (coconut oil, Dr. Bonner’s soap, natural sweetener and essential oils). I wanted to put clove and cinnamon in but didn’t have the oils so I just used them ground from my kitchen spices (it makes the paste a bit darkish but works fine). There are some consistency issues as the weather warms and cools, and the taste of the soap in the recipe took a little getting used to at first, but I find that it does a good job regardless of that day’s consistency. On warm days I shake the container I have it in (a refillable tube that came in a travel kit I bought way back and had not previously had a use for) and on cool days I just use whatever squeezes out (sometimes when it’s cool it separates somewhat if I didn’t shake it to brush after oil pulling in the morning that day). Economical, and I get to choose my sweetener and flavorings.
Great info! Thanks for sharing your experience.
[...] – Brush with a natural toothpaste afterwards. Click here for ideas for toothpaste alternatives. [...]
Thanks for posting Elizabeth!
My family and I use Arbonne’s Pure Mint toothpaste:
• flouride-free
• all natural ingredients (flavored with natural mint, containing antioxidants from white tea, pomegranate, ginger, cranberry and grape)
• vegan
Please feel free to check it out at http://www.jillkay.myarbonne.com and let me know if you have any questions.
regarding the Oral Irrigator. I have one. I love it. I talked to our uncle, a dentist, he and his wife are more than a little crunchy. He said that there are 2 things to remember when using a water pick or oral irrigator.
1. When it comes to the water speed, most people think that a little was good, so a lot must be better. A lot will only yield a cut on your gums. Keep the water flow very low.
2. He says that using a water pick exclusively will not give you good results. Its like having a concrete driveway. imagine that the driveway is caked with mud and leaves. You use a water hose to wash away the big stuff, but its not until you apply a brush that the really sticky stuff comes off. so he recommends that if you are going to use an oral irrigation tool, to also use a brush.
Great tips, thanks for sharing!
This is all very interesting. I just heard from friends of ours who visited us from Denmark about an issue relating to the toothpaste we’ve used for years: Colgate Total. Apparently, it was tested in Denmark and found to contain many times the allowed amount of something dangerous (I wish I could recall what). As a result, Colgate Total Toothpaste was taken off the market in Denmark. According to our friends, however, many Danish stores have stopped carrying anything by Colgate Palmolive as a result!
Interesting, thanks for the info!
Meanwhile Fiji has caved in to corporate pressure and passed laws that only toothpaste containing flouride can be sold. All that rejected Colgate has found a ready, exclusive market in the third world. That’s why i am seriously reading this post and comments. May 2013 Thank you.
The chemical in question might be triclosan which is in certain toothpastes. Triclosan was first licensed as a pesticide in 1969, according to the United States’ Environmental Protection Agency. http://www.epa.gov/oppsrrd1/REDs/factsheets/triclosan_fs.htm Triclosan is now used in many products, in particular antibacterial household soap and sprays. However the US Food and Drug Administration will, later this year, announce their update on the use of triclosan and whether it is safe. Many hope its use will be greatly restricted.
I find clay surprisingly effective at cleaning the teeth. I like Redmond Clay’s Earthpaste, which is bentonite clay, water and a few essential oils. I think many brush their teeth too vigorously, Bass brushing is more of a gentle approach. OraWellness.com discuss the Bass brushing method on their website.
Great comment! I am definitely concerned about the use of triclosan in toothpaste. Clay is a good idea for brushing! I link to the Bass brushing technique above, I agree that gentler is often better when brushing.
This is a Awsome blog I really like it! If anyone is having truble finding products like tooth soap I suggest shopping on etsy. There’s a community of Awsome people making the best toothpaste alturnitives out there. I like clear conscious care the best because it combines a mild tooth soap with a tooth powder containing a considerable amount of xylitol. Xylitol is natural and helps provent cavitys while giving you that sweet flavor you want in a toothpaste
http://www.etsy.com/shop/ClearConsciousCare