Whiten your teeth naturally, without chemicals

Wednesday, August 31, 2016 by: Vicki Batts
Tags: tooth whitening, natural remedies, oral health

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(NaturalNews) Everyone loves having a great smile that's accentuated by bright, white teeth. Not everyone wants to use harsh chemicals to create that pearly smile, though. Fortunately, there are many safe and natural alternatives to the harsh whiteners typically used to brighten smiles.

There are many reasons to choose from when it comes to wanting to avoid conventional toothpastes and teeth whitening products. In addition to the harsh chemicals often used to promote tooth whitening, most conventional toothpastes contain fluoride. Fluoride is known to be neurotoxic, and really isn't that great for teeth. In fact, too much fluoride can damage teeth and cause them to become brittle. Dental fluorosis is also becoming an increasingly common problem in the United States. Collective Evolution reported in 2013 that upwards of 1-in-3 children were being diagnosed with the condition.

Benzene, triclosan, strontium and tin are some of the other unsavory ingredients often found in conventional toothpaste products. Very few ingredients in your typical grocery store toothpaste will ever be anything close to natural, so its easy to see why a natural toothpaste made from ingredients you know are healthy and safe would be preferable.

You may not think of turmeric as an ingredient you'd typically want to have near your teeth; its famous for its rich yellow-orange pigment that lends itself to nearly everything it touches. But, you'd be surprised at how beneficial it can be in your quest for clean, healthy teeth. In fact, when turmeric is combined with coconut oil and baking soda, it makes for a wonderful cleansing paste to brighten teeth and help prevent cavities.

The recipe for this all-natural toothpaste from My Wise Granny calls for 4 tablespoons of powdered turmeric, 2 teaspoons of baking soda, and 2 to 3 tablespoons of coconut oil. Once all the ingredients are blended together into a smooth, thick paste, you are ready to begin brushing. Just use enough to fill your toothbrush and have at it! Brush your teeth and rinse as you normally would. The leftover paste can be saved in a closed glass container and used for several days.

Baking soda for teeth cleaning is often frowned upon and thought of as being "too abrasive" for tooth cleansing. However, research from Collective Evolution reveals that baking soda is actually far less abrasive than regular toothpaste. The relative dentin abrasivity (RDA) of baking soda is a mere 7, while the popular toothpaste brand Colgate reports that its Colgate Total toothpaste has an RDA of 70, according to the chart shared by Collective Evolution. This means that Colgate's toothpaste is 10 times more abrasive than baking soda! If you can use that stuff on your teeth, baking soda can't be so bad.

This paste also features coconut oil, which has been used in Ayurvedic medicine as an ancient method of cleansing for decades. Oil pulling is a simple practice with amazing results, and coconut oil is one of the more popular choices for this practice. To oil pull, one simply needs to take a few spoonfuls of a high-quality, unrefined oil and swish it around in your mouth. This can be done for anywhere between five and 20 minutes. The oil helps to remove bacteria and toxins hiding in your mouth. Supposedly, the practice can also help to loosen up your sinuses and end congestion. Oil pulling is also said to help encourage remineralization and strengthen tooth enamel, as well as helping to promote gum health.

Coconut oil is a popular choice for oil pulling due to its antimicrobial and antibacterial properties, and it brings all of these benefits to homemade toothpastes as well. When combined with the antioxidant power of turmeric and the cleansing power of baking soda, it simply can't be beat.

Sources:

MyWiseGranny.com

Collective-Evolution.com

MindBodyGreen.com