Finding an affordable natural toothpaste alternative has become popular these days in view of mainstream toothpaste ingredient scares. (Yes, some research has linked fluoride use to Alzheimer’s Disease.)
While the jury is out regarding the efficacy and advisability of adding fluoride to one’s toothpaste, there are staunch parents who really don’t want to take a chance with their children’s health. So natural toothpaste replacement ingredients can include:
1. Baking soda
2. Crushed strawberries
3. Clays and chalks
4. Essential oils
Baking soda has been used for years and still has a mildly abrasive characteristic which makes it acceptable for cleaning mild stains and debris from the teeth. It also helps manage the alkaline/acid (pH) balance within the mouth. Acidic conditions are not conducive to teeth and gum health. That said, essential oils for the teeth, when added to baking soda, for instance, would be an ideal combination for bacterial control and other fresh breath factors.
That’s why several commercial natural toothpaste manufacturers include mild abrasives like clays, chalks and baking soda in their formulas with mixed results. Indeed, the results are better than using chemical compounds which really shouldn’t be ingested at any time or in any amounts.
When budget constraints are present, baking soda natural toothpaste alternative is a good choice and of course, crushing strawberries will aid mild stain removal too and have a whitening effect.
Essential oils for your teeth can be in many combinations. Many combos include peppermint essential oil, spearmint essential oil, almond essential oil as a carrier and perhaps a bit of organic olive essential oil which has been used for millennia in Grecian and Hellenistic cultures for its healing nature.
The minty oils, too, have antimicrobial and antibacterial benefits which can be used as your twice to thrice daily natural toothpaste alternative. Some brands even adding the famed neem extract known for its extremely effective and researched oral health components.The side effect from using (ideally) organic essential oils for teeth and gums is fresh breath which outlasts all mainstream commercial mints and gums.