Thursday, January 12, 2012

Self Dentistry

I have been a bit interested in self dentistry for about a year or so now. With the rising cost of health insurance and dental insurance, and the lack of a truly GOOD dental insurance (If you have one, FANTASTIC! But ours leaves big holes in what is covered and what is not) I have scoured the net for different recipes for things that I can make at home that are:


A) greener to the environment
B) Greener to my health
C) Less expensive than traditional


I love making things that are non toxic, or better than the alternative, but lets face it, sometimes the local health food store wants an arm and a leg for this stuff! Here are just a few of the things that I do or have made, and some variations that you can make to your own. A word of caution though, I have a friend who works in the dental industry, she recommends that you use baking soda no more than 2X per week on your teeth (because it is abrasive) and lemon juice no more than 1 or 2X per week (because it’s a mild form of acid) so, just keep that in mind when making some of these recipes. Also, DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH, what works for me and my family may not be best for yours, so try these out, but be sure you are doing what it takes to meet the needs you have.

Herbal Mouthwash
1 cup distilled water or a nice herbal tea
1 teaspoon raw honey
4 drops Peppermint essential oil (or spearmint, or a mix)
2 drops tea tree oil
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice (optional)

Measure out honey into measuring cup. Add the essential oils, Mix well with the honey. Add a small amount of warm distilled water or herbal tea of sage to the honey until completely dissolved. Add the remaining amount of water. Bottle and label. Shake well before each use and swish for  60 seconds. For optimal freshness make weekly.

ACV based Mouthwash
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2 cups boiling water

Combine vinegar with boiling water and let cool. Store in a clean bottle and use as needed.


Toothpaste
3T baking soda
3T coconut oil
A few drops of clove oil, cinnamon oil, ginger oil or peppermint oil
Melt the coconut oil in a bowl put inside a bowl of warm water, mix all ingredients together, when you put it in a container it will harden. Just put a small amount of it on your toothbrush and go! Some people will add a few drops of glycerin to this, I have not done this, but, try it out!
This last recipe is not one that I have tried, but I know so many people who don’t have any kind of dental plan that I wanted to put this one out there for those who need it..

For Bacterial or Viral Related Infections

1 cup Rosemary or Sage herbal tea
1 teaspon fresh lemon juice (optional)
1 teaspoon raw honey
2 drops Peppermint essential oil
2 drops Bergamot essential oil
1 drop Tea Tree essential oil

Brew 1 cup of Rosemary or Sage herbal tea. Add fresh lemon juice. Measure 1 teaspoon of honey and add essential oils to it and mix well. Combine aromatic honey with th warm herb tea and lemon juice. Mix well and bottle in clean glass container. Shake well before each use. To use, simply swish vigorously and leave in the mouth for a minute or two before spitting out. Can be used several times per day. Most beneficial when used following oral care, after meals when the mouth is clean. Avoid drinking and eating within 20 minutes of use to allow essential oils to be absorbed and affect local bacteria. For optimal freshness make weekly.

5 comments:

  1. Please tell me what you all are doing in this area too, I would love to try new things!!

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  2. Hi Ayn,
    I have been making my own toothpaste for the family for years. It is a very similar recipe. I have tried lots of essential oil variations in that time, but find I always go back to mint. Thieves or clove combo with a little orange are kinf nice. I went through an organge cream and lime phase, but they didn't seem feel as clean to me. :-)

    I have put your blog in my google reader, so I can stay in touch with what you are blogging.

    pamela

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    1. I think my favorite is ginger clove. I love that combo, my teeth feel "cleaner" with mint, but my whole mouth feels better with the ginger mint combo. Thanks for reading the Blog, Ive got yours up to read on a regular basis too! :)

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  3. I'm giving away 100+ tooth ache plant seeds if interested, they make a great addition to your above dental regime. :)

    Thanks for the Bacterial or Viral Related Infections brew.

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    Replies
    1. Oh yeah! That sounds great! How do I sign up? Your welcome on the recipes, I have more that I will get to posting on day also, let me know if there was anything you were looking for, I may have it!
      :)

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