Oral Care
From Antivist
Contents |
Simple Teeth Cleansers
- Sage is a traditional mouth care herb with astringent, antiseptic and antibacterial properties - rub the fresh leaves over teeth and gums.
- Lemons are acidic and gently whitening - rub slices over teeth to remove stains.
- Strawberries are astringent - mash and rub into teeth and gums to help loosen plaque and polish surfaces.
Homemade Tooth Paste/Powder
Homemade toothpaste is easy to make. the following are the bare basics of the process. it is important to be willing to experiment with the ingredient ratios. different extracts or oils offer different benefits and flavors. Oregano, sage, arrowroot, cloves, lemon, orris root, bergamot, anise, myrhh, thyme, fennel, peppermint, wintergreen, and spearmint are commonly seen additives in homemade toothpaste recipes.
- recipe #1
- Mix two parts baking soda and one part salt in a wide mouth jar. Wet your tooth brush, shake off the excess water, dip it in the mixture, and brush for two minutes. Then swish a few tablespoons of hydrogen peroxide around in mouth, gargle, and spit. Rinse with water a few times, making sure to gargle. Follow this with dental floss.
- recipe #2
- For a more paste-like consistancy, for each half cup of homemade powder, add 3 teaspoons of glycerin, and 10-20 drops of flavoring (peppermint, wintergreen, anise, or cinnamon oils). Mix the ingredients thoroughly in a bowl and add just enough water to make the concoction "tooth-pastey". Spoon the substance into a small refillable plastic squeeze bottle or any container that dispenses easily and won't leak.
- super cleanser
- Make a paste by combining hydrogen peroxide and baking soda. Use this paste on your teeth and also gently rub along your gums two times a week.
- Herbal Tooth Powder
- Bicarbonate of soda sets teeth and gums tingling and is an efficient cleanser, now used in commercial toothpastes. Use this as an occasional alternative to your normal toothpaste. Grind 1 tsp each of dried peppermint and dried marjoram to a fine powder and mix with 1 tbsp of bicarbonate soda. Apply to teeth and gums on a dampened toothbrush.
Simple Breath Fresheners
- Cloves, cinnamon, sage and thyme are natural antiseptics - use them in infusions for gargles and mouth rinses.
- Parsley is neutralizing while peppermint is high in menthol - chew the fresh leaves to sweeten breath after eating onions or garlic.
- Juniper berries are pleasantly aromatic and fennel seeds have an aniseed fragrance - chew after meals to mask mouth odors.
Mouthwashes
Mild herbal mouthwashes are pleasant to use and gentler than commercial ones containing powerful antiseptics which can upset the natural balance of the saliva and irritate the lining of the mouth.
Spiced Thyme And Rosemary Mouth Freshener
Thyme and rosemary are gently antiseptic and highly aromatic. The fresh leaves are best for this recipe but you can use dried.
- 1 tbsp fresh/dried thyme
- 1 tbsp fresh/dried rosemary
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground cloves
- 1 tsp caraway seeds
- 300 ml mineral water
- coffee filter paper
- 2 tbsp vodka
Put the herbs and spices in an enamel pan with the water, bring to the boil and simmer for 1 minute. Leave until cool then strain through the coffee filter paper. Add the vodka. Decant into a sterilized bottle. Use neat or dilute 2 parts rinse to 1 part water. Swish a little of the mixture round the mouth before discarding. Do not swallow. Use within 1 month.
Mint And Myrrh Mouthwash
It’s best to use peppermint in this recipe, for its fresh but not overpowering flavor, but ordinary garden mint will do. Myrrh is a mild antiseptic.
- 2 tbsp fresh spearmint or mint leaves (stripped from stem and chopped)
- 300 ml mineral water, boiling
- ½ tsp tincture of myrrh or 2 drops pure myrrh essential oil
Roughly chop the mint leaves, put into a jug and bruise with a pestle or wooden spoon. Pour the boiling water over the leaves, cover and leave to infuse for 2 hours. Use a sieve to strain off the mint and then add the myrrh. Use to rinse the mouth but do not swallow. Keep refrigerated and use within 2 to 3 days. Bring to room temperature before use.
Salt Rinse
Salt is an efficient cleansing agent and helps keep gums in good condition. Simply mix 1/2 tsp of salt into a small cup of lukewarm water and use to rinse out the mouth. Salt rinse is also especially good to reduce sore throat.
Lip Balms
Exposure to sun, wind and weather can leave lips sore, cracked or dry. Lip balm helps soothe and protect.
Calendula And Coconut Lip Salve
Calendula has soothing, anti inflammatory properties. You can buy infused calendula oil from specialist suppliers or you can make your own.
To make your own calendula oil, put 1 tbsp dried calendula flowers in a jar and pour in 250 ml lukewarm sunflower or grapeseed oil. Cover and leave in a warm place for up to a week. Strain off the flowers. Keeps 3 to 4 months.
- 2 tsp coconut oil
- 2 tsp infused calendula oil
Put the coconut oil into a bowl over simmering water and stir until melted. Add the calendula oil and mix. Pour into a small jar and leave to cool and set. Keeps for 2 to 3 months.
Apricot Lip Balm
- 1 tsp beeswax
- 2 tsp apricot kernel oil
- 1 tsp wheatgerm oil
Melt the ingredients in a small bowl over simmering water. Pour into a small jar and leave to set. Slick on as required. Keeps for 2 to 3 months.
Honey Soother
Honey is healing and antiseptic. Combine it with the calendula oil to counteract soreness and irritation.
- 1 tsp clear honey
- 1 tsp infused calendula oil
Mix the ingredients together. Smear a little over lips before going to bed.
Myrrh
Modern herbalists recommend myrrh as an antiseptic.Myrrh is widely used throughout India and the Middle East for the treatment of mouth, gum, throat, and digestive problems, as well as for irregular and painful menstruation.
Myrrh is one of the most effective herbal medicines in the world for sore throats, canker sores, and gingivitis (gum infections). The diluted tincture (alcoholic solution) is used as a mouthwash and is effective as a gargle, helping to counter infection and inflammation and tighten the affected tissue.
Tincture of myrrh is usually taken at a dose of 1-2 ml, diluted in half a cup of water, three times per day. The tincture can also be applied topically for canker sores and athlete's foot. Due to the gummy nature of the product, a tea cannot be made from myrrh. Capsules, containing up to 1 gram of resin taken three times per day, can also be used.
Apple Cider Vinegar and Baking Soda
4/3/2007: Martin (canogamarty@yahoo.com) from Canoga Park, California writes: "I'm a health writer and get a lot of good tip from docs. One of my favorite, and that I try to get my grandkids to follow, is a simple mouth cleaning with baking soda and apple cider vinegar. According to the dental experts I have interviewed, the two generate a powerful 1-2 knockout punch against many of the bad bacterial that cause caries and gum disease. Here's how to do it: brush after each meal (if possible) with baking soda. Try to gently work the baking soda into the gum tissue where it meets the teeth. Don't rinse. Baking soda is a huge killer of bacteria. Then follow up right away with a swig of apple cider vinegar. You will experience a "poof" in your mouth--the result of the acidic vinegar reacting with the alkaline baking soda. This combination has helped me keep a chronic gum disease situation under control. I wish I had known about it 40 years ago when my gum problems started. You can chuck all your toothpaste tubes. There's nothing as good as this combo, my dentist sources tell me, and they are super experts. Good luck."
Home Remedies for Gum Infection
- Smear aloe vera on the infected gums.
- Rinse the mouth with salty water.
- Boil water with salvia and gurgle.
- Mix cinnamon with water and gurgle.
- Put locust honey on the gum infection. Also good for growing teeth.
- Wash you mouth often with chamomile and salvia.
- Eat fresh apples.
- Gurgle lemon juice and salty water.
- Blanch Thyme-Leaved Savory and gurgle.
- Blanch 3 tablespoons of diced pomegranate peel in 2 cups of water and gurgle.
- Boil some carnations, cool and gurgle.
Natural Teeth Whitening
- Apply a mixture of 1 tsp baking soday, dash of salt, and a few drops of white vinegar. (which will foam)
- Rub the inside of an orange peel on the teeth.
