Recently by Tess Pennington: Be Nutrition Ready and Store Super Foods
Contrary to popular belief, your teeth are designed to last a lifetime. Over the years the dental industry has made a killing selling the idea that we need to brush our teeth with toothpaste and chemicals in order to keep our teeth clean.
In a SHTF or long-term emergency scenario, tooth paste may be less accessible and we will need to fall upon more traditional means to clean our teeth.
Below are six alternatives to toothpaste that can be used to not only promote healthy teeth and gums, but most of these alternatives have antibacterial and antimicrobial properties that assist in preventing dental issues such as gingivitis, canker sores and gum disease.
Chew sticks – Traditional peoples the world over use natural tooth brushes made from healing plants. These primitive twig “brushes” actually work quite well, and provide a natural-bristle, disposable brush with healing herbs already incorporated right in the plant. People would chew on the tip of a twig to make it spread out into several small strands. They would then use it in the same way that a toothbrush is used. If this is the only option to brush your teeth, look for twigs that contain oils to help stimulate blood circulation, tannins that tighten and cleanse gum tissue and other materials, such as vitamin C, which maintain healthy gums. Bay, eucalyptus, oak, fir, and juniper and twigs of the neem tree are good choices to make primitive toothbrushes with.
Salts – Salt is a multipurpose prep that every prepper should have a good supply of. In the case of dental health, it is a mild cleanser that can be used multiple times daily or as a mouthwash to help with bad breath or used as a disinfectant rinse. Salt has a natural healing property to it, as well as removes plaque, tartar and bad breath.
Cleaning teeth – Mix one part salt to two parts baking soda after pulverizing the salt in a blender or rolling it on a kitchen board with a tumbler before mixing. It whitens teeth, helps remove plaque and it is healthy for the gums. Another recipe for cleaning teeth is one teaspoon each of ground sage, baking soda, and table salt.
Washing mouth – Mix equal parts of salt and baking soda as a mouth wash that sweetens the breath.
Baking soda – Baking soda is a classic amongst natural teeth cleaning methods, and is harmless. It is very effective in removing stains and killing plaque-causing bacteria, and it also reduces acids which harm your tooth enamel. Hippocrates recommended a mixture of salt, alum, and vinegar as a mouthwash for preventative measures.
Essential oils – Incorporating essential oils into your dental preparedness supplies can function as natural antibacterial and antimicrobial agents, as well as natural cleansers for a well-rounded mouth health. Essential oils such as peppermint and spearmint can be mixed with water to make dental rinses too.
