Are you worried about the dangers of fluoride in your drinking water and dental care products? What can you do? Some of the natural brands are fluoride free. Unfortunately, they still contain our old friend sodium laurel sulfate. What can you do? We all know about brushing with baking soda. Unfortunately, it leaves a lot to be desired in the flavor dept. So, here’s some other inexpensive kitchen ingredients that keep teeth white, bright and healthy.
Non-fluoride baking soda brushing alternative
Did you know coconut oil works just as well for cleaning teeth as baking soda? The taste is much easier to take, though. Coconut oil is solid, not runny. It’s about the same texture as toothpaste. It seems expensive at around 8.00-20.00 for a 16 oz. jar. Then you realize that jar is going to last you longer than several tubes of toothpaste with a lot left over for cooking and such. Simply put some in a separate jar for the bathroom. Add a drop or two of peppermint extract to freshen breath and you’re good to go.
Note: Add a bit of hydrogen peroxide for whitening power.
Salt scrubs plaque clean.
I do a routine salt scrub once a week to keep my teeth plaque free. It makes an incredible difference in appearance. If you have issues with plaque build-up, why not give it a try? Simply pour about a teaspoon of salt into your hand. Wet a soft bristled toothbrush. Dip it in the salt. Now, brush away all that nasty plaque without fluoride dense rinses or strong gels.
Caution: Using salt daily may scrub away tooth enamel along with the plaque. This is a weekly or monthly treatment.
Strawberry/banana peel whitener really works!
Who knew a couple pieces of fruit could whiten teeth so well? We’ve all heard that rubbing the inside of a banana peel on your teeth whitens like magic. Does it work? You bet. I’ve tried it myself. I also heard that strawberries whiten teeth. My teeth were dingy from my old soda pop drinking habit. So, I decided to try them together. I mashed a strawberry, spread it on the banana peel and rubbed it on my teeth daily for a couple weeks. Sure enough, by the end of the two weeks, my pop stained teeth were replaced by pearly whites.
Lemon juice for teeth?
We’ve all heard that citrus is bad for your teeth. You wouldn’t want to leave it lingering for long. Still, my grand-daughter says she has a marvelous fluoride free way of keeping her teeth super white. She brushes them weekly with a mixture of baking soda and lemon juice. I know. I said no baking soda. She does admit it tastes awful. But, since the lemon juice is the active ingredient, why not mix it with coconut oil instead? It’ll be fluoride free and taste good too.
Please note: The author is not a licensed medical professional. This article is not intended to replace professional dental advice.