Natural Dental Care
A Fresh Start

Natural dental care products are increasingly finding their way to the top of your shopping list as you grow ever-more concerned about potentially harmful chemicals and seek out products that are free of artificial chemicals, sweeteners and preservatives. Oral care is no exception.

Kalyx.com Oral Care has natural dental products you can purchase right now.

In fact, between 2000 and 2004, the natural dental care category of tooth cleaners, mouthwash, whiteners, toothbrushes, floss, dental gum and breath fresheners soared 50.6 percent to $589 million, according to the recent U.S. Market for Natural and Organic Personal Care report from Packaged Facts. By 2010, the natural care segment is expected to hit $1 billion at retail.

One example is Tom's of Maine, which recently developed the new Whole Care line of toothpaste. The products deliver cavity prevention from naturally sourced fluoride, tartar control from zinc citrate, whitening from silica and a fresh-mouth effect from natural flavor oils like spearmint, wintermint, peppermint, cinnamon-clove and orange-mango.

You will love the orange-mango flavor, and although it doesn't foam as much as some other natural toothpastes, it does a great cleaning job and the great taste keeps your kids brushing longer!

Like all Tom's of Maine products, 10 percent of the profits are given back to communities, the carton is made of recycled paper, the tube is recyclable, there are no animal ingredients, and it was tested for safety and efficacy without the use of animals.
"Earning the ADA Seal of Acceptance on this product is another step forward in proving you can make great products that work without using, artificial ingredients or sweeteners like saccharin, said co-founder Tom Chappell. Tom's of Maine currently is the only natural toothpaste to have earned the seal.

Meanwhile, The Natural Dentist has expanded its line of natural dental care oral rinse products, dubbed Healthy Gums, with new Peppermint Twist and Orange Zest flavors.

Healthy Gums oral rinse fights the bacteria that cause gingivitis using four naturally occurring antimicrobial agents, the company stated, and contains botanicals that soothe the gum tissue. The products also feature a new easy-grip, easy-to-pour bottle with a dosage cap and new graphics that highlight the therapeutic benefits.

Natural Dental Care -Back to Nature

"Modern" society is used to buying everything necessary for oral hygiene in prefabricated, mass-produced packaging. But people all over the world use natural dental care methods, like toothbrushes made from plants which contain beneficial oils and properties, growing around them. The precursor to the modern toothbrush was a twig. In the 1972 classic book, "The Tooth Trip," by hippie dentist Thomas McGuire, D.D.S., the author speaks of three plants with "fairly good bristles," which make good natural dental care toothbrushes.

These plants are Marshmallow Roots, Alfalfa Roots, and Licorice Roots.

To make marshmallow root toothbrushes, he suggests you cut 5" long pieces of the root (pick straight sections), and then unravel or peel the two ends, like untwisting a rope. You then boil them with a few cinnamon sticks to flavor and soften them. Once they are tender, remove them carefully from the boiling water and soak them for 24 hours in brandy to dry and strengthen them. Then the roots are died in a warm oven or warm room.

Once they are dried, you can bundle them together and attach them to a handle or just use them with your fingers. To use root brushes, you need to soak them a few minutes in warm water to soften them before you can use them, but then you can add toothpowder or paste and brush just as you would with a nylon bristle brush.

To make alfalfa root toothbrushes, he says you can take alfalfa roots that are thick around in diameter, and then strip off the outer skin or bark. Then you dry them slowly at room temperature. When the roots are dry, cut them into 3-5" pieces. Then hit each end with a hammer to break up the fibers and form a brush. Beat it only enough to make bristles. Then you can fold the roots in half and bundle them. Remember to soak them in warm water before using.

And the last natural dental care toothbrush from natural fibers is made from licorice root. He says this one is especially good for tender and delicate gums...Select straight roots and cut 3-5" pieces, then dry them by mild heat, then take off the outer layer of skin at each end. Fold the roots over and bind. The number of roots needed for a root brush varies with the size of the roots. Other plants/trees used for toothbrushes around the world include bay, eucalyptus, oak, neem, fir, and juniper.

Orange Tooth Powder:

2 T. dried lemon or orange rind
¼ c. baking soda
2 t. salt
1/4 tsp. hydrogen peroxide (whitener)

Grind rinds in food processor then add salt and soda until fine powder. Pour in hand, rub wet brush in it and brush. You can make the powder into paste by adding ¼ t. hydrogen peroxide to the orange tooth powder.

You can make herbal preparations to build the strength of your gums and teeth as well. You can make a Golden Seal and Myrrh Healing Powder: Mix equal parts of myrrh powder and golden seal powder and then brush teeth and gums with it.

It tastes really icky and bitter, but it will help strengthen and heal your gums. You could use myrrh and golden seal infused in hot water as a mouthwash too. A hydrogen peroxide rinse, made from equal parts water and peroxide, swished in the mouth then spit out daily, helps with bleeding gums, mouth sores, etc. and it whitens teeth, just don't over due it. Two or three times a week is plenty.

Speaking of whitening...here is a natural dental care recipe you will want to try.

Strawberry Tooth Paste

This inexpensive home whitening secret is malic acid, which acts as an astringent to remove surface discoloration. Combined with baking soda, strawberries are a natural tooth-cleanser, buffing away stains from coffee, red wine, and dark teas. “This is a fast, cheap way to brighten your smile,” says Adina Carrel, DMD, a dentist in private practice at Manhattan Dental Arts in New York. “Be careful not to use this too often, though, as the acid could damage the enamel on your teeth.”

You need:
1 ripe strawberry
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Directions: Crush the strawberry to a pulp, then mix with the baking soda until blended. Use a soft toothbrush to spread the mixture onto your teeth. Leave on for 5 minutes, then brush thoroughly with toothpaste to remove the berry–baking soda mix. Rinse. (A little floss will help get rid of any strawberry seeds.) Use once a week.

Teeth Whitening

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Make your own natural dental care mouthwash.

You can make Rosemary-Mint Mouthwash by boiling 2 ½ cups water, then take it off the heat and add:
1 t. fresh mint leaves
1 t. rosemary leaves
1 t. anise seeds
1 t. tincture of myrrh (optional as preservative)

Let the herbs sit in the water for 20 minutes. Cool, strain, then use.

You can make a Clove mouthwash by boiling a pint of water with 3 T cloves, bruised or sliced, covered, for an hour. Then cool, strain and use. You can make teas out of any number of herbs, such as rosemary, thyme, lavender, or anise, and use that as an herbal mouthwash as well.

Certain foods are known to help oral health. Citrus foods are hostile to many bacteria, and Vitamin C helps prevent infections. You can drink the herb oatstraw in a tea to help strengthen your teeth from your insides.

Natural toothache remedies include the well-known use of clove to numb the area.

You can soak gauze in the oil and put it in the area that is hurting. For sore or raw gums, and for teething babies, you can chew on a peeled piece of marshmallow root. With its mucilage, it soothes irritated gums. Canker sores supposedly calm down when an acidophilus mouth rinse is used.

The Prickly Ash tree is also called "the toothache tree," because chewing on its leaves is supposed to help toothaches. People have chewed on ginger root in the West Indies for toothaches. But in all reality, the best natural dental care remedy is prevention.

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