Naturalish Dental Care
You may know that dental care has a substantial impact on your overall inflammation levels and cardiovascular health. Dental health also has a surprising impact on the health of the skin. I spent most of my life getting terrible canker sores and generally struggling with keeping the microbiome in my mouth healthy. That means dry mouth with a bad taste, breakouts, and a general feeling of gross mouth in the morning most of the time. The first thing I learned from a holistic dentist is that the detergent in regular toothpaste (sodium lauryl sulfate) what probably what was causing the constant discomfort, irritation, and canker sores. I was never taught this in school, and I don’t believe it is common knowledge. Even natural toothpaste has sulfates, we want it for that clean feel.
It’s hard to find a product without any sulfates, but here is one Sulfate Free Toothpaste you can order online. They are so hard to find, I have never had a favorite, they are all fine and switching over INSTANTLY stopped the canker sores AND to my surprise, I noticed my acne clearing up. If I used a regular toothpaste even one time, I would get at least one new canker sore, and a corresponding breakout on the skin in my face in the same location. Now, I won’t ever use any sulfates in my mouth (or anywhere) because I realized I was unknowingly making my skin, mouth, and scalp very unhappy. Not everyone is sensitive to sulfates, but I strongly consider trying a sulfate free toothpaste even if it is just to keep the microbiome in your mouth healthier. Before I brush, I swish and swallow Chlorofresh as a natural deodorant (mouth and body) as well as an amazing tool to keep your whole body microbiome happy. This, of course, leads to better dental health. It will, however, turn your teeth dark green. Then, swish with oil to loosen plaque, buildup, help extract bacteria, and reduce yeast (we all have it). Oil is better than alcohol based mouthwash because it moisturizes the tissue instead of drying and making the mouth more susceptible to bad bugs. You can use regular coconut oil and add a drop of Neem Oil. I will say that having neem around to reduce bad bugs in your mouth, on your skin, on your feet, etc, is a great tool. However, this combination tastes absolutely terrible. If you are new to this practice, try Oil Pulling Oil that has perfected the oil blend with added essential oils to help reset your mouth. Once you are happy with your oral health, you can alternate a custom product with regular coconut oil. If you have been eating a lot of sugar, flour, or consuming a lot of alcohol, just assume your microbiome needs some help and step it up with the Oil Pulling Oil. After oil pulling (2-20 minutes) you may notice that you need to clear your sinuses because you may release more fluid buildup in your face, lymphatic system, and nose than you knew you had. Take care of that, then brush with your Sulfate Free Toothpaste. If you like to stay eco-friendly, follow with Plastic Free Floss Picks .
Next step, remove discoloration. I am not going to lie, when I see someone with perfectly glowing white bleached teeth, I get some dental envy. But I don’t love putting those products in my mouth and it seems like I would have to do it often and I can’t do the constant application and irritated gums. In reality, it takes longer to read these blogs than it does to actually follow the recommendations. The goal is to have high impact products and processes with the least amount of time and money, and I can’t fit bleach into that category. I am all natural with brightening / whitening. I use a separate toothbrush. Wet the tip, dip it in Charcoal Powder, and gently brush all over. This is a little abrasive to do every day, but you can at least do it daily for a week and then only on the weekends. If you are absolutely in a pinch without sulfate free toothpaste and you’ve discovered that you, also, can never go back, charcoal stands alone for brushing your teeth. In a pinch, you can grab a bottle from a drugstore and empty a capsule. They all have it because it is such a powerful toxin binder that it is often recommended by pharmacists to reduce illness with ingestion of poisonous substances or food poisoning.
Like to freshen your breath throughout the day?
Once you ditch the regular mouthwash, you will never want to go back. You can do this in one of two ways. Finish your travel sized bottle of mouthwash, then refill it with water, 15 drops of peppermint oil oil, and 15 drops of lavender Oil. The nice thing about this mouthwash is that you can swish and swallow. The essential oils, when ingested orally, have a calming and energizing effect. In fact, lavender is calming to the nervous system and can be taken in large doses internally. It calms us in the moment, but it also builds up in the system and over time has a mood stabilizing effect. That means the more often you use it, the more stable your mood gets. I like to prepare several glass spray bottles with this combination, but I add little to no water to mine. That is too strong for most people. I love the jolt of flavor and the boost I get from it. I keep one by my bed, in my purse, in my car, and at my desk. If you get hot flashes (or just hot) you can spray it on your skin to get immediate relief. Still have gross mouth? You may need to work on your microbiome a little bit more. My favorite herbal formula to clear up sores, lesions, cuts, and throats is Ni huang Jue Du Pian. You can find this on www.chineseherbsdirect.com. Only use it as needed. It tastes weird, but it works. You may also want to do a basic microbiome reset which consists of 10 weeks of no sugar, alcohol, or flour. While you avoid the things that feed the bad guys, also use biocidin to naturally kill off unwanted bad bugs. Take a very large dose of probiotics once a week for the whole 10 weeks. These are not the cheapest products you can buy, but they work well and it is not an ongoing program.
