I stopped using toothpaste, including “natural” brands, several years ago, and haven’t looked back. My mouth no longer burns after brushing (and it wasn’t a “good” burn, either) and my teeth have never felt cleaner!
Back in the day, when I used off-the-shelf toothpaste, I recall that my mouth felt unpleasantly tingly afterward. Yes, there was minty freshness, but also a definite burn, like I’d used something caustic. I mentioned in another post that I experienced a skin issue that I traced back to a liquid dishwashing soap that contained a surfactant called Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS), where the skin looked like it was actually breaking down (pretty scary stuff!). It turns out that there are brands of toothpaste that contain SLS, and there’s research that has linked SLS and Recurrent Aphthous Ulcers. No wonder it burned! Other additives in conventional toothpaste, like preservatives, antibacterials, and thickening agents (like carrageenan) may also cause health issues.
Despite the dental establishment’s assertions that fluoride is needed to prevent cavities, I also don’t like the addition of fluoride to conventional toothpaste due to concerns about its toxicity; and I personally find it troubling that the fluoride in toothpaste is an unprocessed industrial byproduct of the phosphate fertilizer industry. No, thanks!
So what to do? First, I started by buying formulated tooth powder. Uncle Harry’s was one that I tried and I thought it worked pretty well and tasted pleasant. After using it for a while, though, I began researching making my own. Making your own products allows you to customize it and more fully control the ingredients, and you choose the options like flavoring, whitening, etc.
After doing my research, I decided to use Joybilee Farm’s Remineralizing Tooth Powder Recipe. I liked each of the ingredients, and as a budding aromatherapist, also really liked the essential oils it uses (especially myrrh, but know that myrrh is a tree resin, so don’t expect to just pour it out of the container!). It’s easy to put together and a little goes a long way. And the taste? Simply fabulous! It leaves a clean, fresh aftertaste. Cleaning power? Excellent – even though I switched from using a Sonicare electric toothbrush to a manual toothbrush (I tired of buying those replacement brush heads), my teeth feel just as clean and plaque-free (I also floss daily and believe it helps).
If tooth powder is simply out of the question for you, Joybilee Farm also provides a recipe for converting it to a toothpaste..but keep an open mind and try the powder – it may just grow on you. And it’s easy to travel with!
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