More Natural Health Care For Your Teeth

healthyteeth

One of the things I’ve come to appreciate as I get older is that more natural solutions to health issues often seem to be more effective.

Or at least ‘effective enough’. But often without the side effects common with chemical blends and pharmacy drugs!

And most recently that’s something I’ve come to appreciate when cleaning my teeth. This daily dull activity is just ‘something we do’ – we don’t give it much thought, we rarely take a second look at our toothpaste choice (are you still buying the same brand your parents bought when you were a kid..?).

But there are some awesome alternative options now when it comes to your dental health.

My Gums Used To Bleed Sometimes…

I didn’t think too much of it. Only happened when I brushed, so I thought I was being a bit rough.

Wrong!

This was the first signs of ‘gingivitis‘ (the early stages of gum disease). Which can include:

  • irritation or swelling of the gums
  • bleeding when brushing
  • bad breath
  • even just sensitivity for your teeth
  • eating may also be uncomfortable sometimes

My gums gradually got much worse, and I ended up having a bunch of fillings too. All because I didn’t take action early enough. All avoidable. If I knew then what I know now! Aaargh.

There are some great natural ways to treat gingivitis and get your mouth health back on track. And they work fast.

Of course, you have to do the basics. Taking your time to brush properly and regularly. That’s a given, right? And get a dental hygienist to give you a deep clean to start things off.

My Big Confession – I Hate Floss…

There, I said it! 🙂

Instead my dentist introduced me to those little ‘interdental brushes’. Which are AWESOME.

I struggled so much with floss. Never got the hang. It took ages, made my gums bleed. I was doing more harm than good! Now it takes like 30 seconds to use the little brushes between every gap in my teeth.

I’ll never touch floss ever again, LOL.

This and another little trick (below) fixed my gums completely!

Avoid This One: The Ads Are So Misleading!

‘Mouthwash’ is a total con. Every dentist I’ve ever had says do NOT use it. Because it harms all the good bacteria in your mouth. We only get teeth and gum problems when the bad bacteria overtake the good ones. So killing all the good ones does not help you!

If you’re using mouthwash to avoid bad breath, it’s time to rethink. Because you’re covering up the problem, not doing anything about the cause of it! Most bad breath is related to gum problems.

And most mouthwash still contains lots of alcohol, which has been shown to work against the protection your natural saliva provides for your teeth and gums. So if you’re not sure what’s really the best mouthwash for bad breath read this. The answer is not what we all used to think.

My Bonus Little Trick

A friend introduced me to this one. My dentist says “dang, keep doing what you’re doing!”

It’s kind of like a liquid toothpaste. But all natural ingredients. I use it to brush with, and ‘floss’ with (using my little mini brushes). It feels super fresh, super clean and oh boy has it made my gums super healthy!

You can only get it online though, but it ships pretty fast so all good. They call it Dental Pro 7. It comes in a tiny little bottle – seriously do not use more than one tiny drop each time, as that’s PLENTY for your whole mouth.

I actually love the little bottle as it’s super convenient for travelling. And I also keep one in my purse too – it lasts for AGES.

Other Tips

Folic acid is also something that has been shown to help when fighting against gum disease. You can find folic acid in tablet form at your local pharmacy. Or if you eat plenty of veg you’re probably getting more than enough. It’s in citrus fruits, beans, dark leafy greens, seeds and nuts, cauliflower, beets, celery and even squash.

Other natural supplements that you can add to your diet for fighting gingivitis include both Vitamins C and E as well as ‘CoQ10’ (it’s pronounced ‘co – q10’, not… 🙂 ). The supplement CoQ10 is an awesome antioxidant that you can find at many stores and it works to help prevent the build up of free radicals in your body, especially your mouth.

I used to use Xylitol gum and mints, as they are supposed to reduce the risk for cavities. But I don’t think there’s any good science on that. If you’re doing the other stuff right you really don’t need these.

I’m certainly glad I went on this journey despite the bad bits. I’m always learning, but am so much happier about my teeth and gums now. I know they will stay health for the rest of my life now.