Big baking soda infiltrating this sub now too? Haha, just kidding and yeah baking soda is good for oral hygiene. Peroxide and water is a good rinse as well.

I was razing you a bit, sometimes it’s needed here :)

Straight peroxide is a bit much on the regular, need to dilute it with water.

Also wanted to add, a family dentist that retired told us to use sea salt to brush your teeth with. Ever since I started using sea salt, I use the pink Tibetan kind, 2 years ago, all my pockets in the gums have healed up, no cavities, my loose teeth are all nice and tight and my last dentist visit was perfect, didn't even need a cleaning after 2 years..

Insurance sucks though for dental. American insurance is pure garbage

Thanks for sharing! May you continue to have healthy teeth and gums.

But how are you supposed to get you daily does of fluoride? JK, great post OP!

I am stopping at the store tomorrow, no wait I think I have some. Thank you

Pink is just iron oxide, usually from shady Pakistani sources. Be wary where you source "Nepalese" salt from.

What is a pocket in the gums?

What is a pocket in the gums?

When your gums start to move away from the tooth because of plaque, it creates what dentists call "pockets"

The pink kind can be full of terrible stuff, lead and other heavy metals. Also has no iodine. Regular salt or brand name sea salt is a safer option. Also salt and baking soda together is good.

fair enough. There are some pink salts from Utah, all natural, 1 man mom and pop operations that you can buy from on Etsy

Don't trust Etsy, they've been invaded by Chinese re-sellers posing as small companies.

I usually ask and do additional research to make sure they are U.S. based, and check the label from where its shipped from. I do buy some things from Europe, so Italian leather products, slippers, etc that are all hand crafted and the shipping label and tracking has always been from country of destination and I have seen the stitching work and can confirm all my products have been of excellent quality.

I'm not surprised that Chinese are invading there, but so far have had to problems

I thought Salt Lake salt was full of heavy metals? Swear I saw a report about it.

Why dont get it in wounds? Its commonly used as a disinfectant on wounds, although apparently not a very good one.

You only want it on fresh wounds, otherwise it will eat away healing tissue.

Oh yes, thanks.

I feel the same way about shampoo. I've only used bar soap or bodywash for a while

How longs your hair?

Not long. Average guy length. I don't know if most people have scalp problems but I've had girls kinda be like "what your hair doesn't get all greasy?" and sure it does, in about the same amount of time as when I used shampoo. I think if you shower daily it's a money save for sure

Yea I've heard of guys with flow not shampooing for months, they said the hair naturally cleans itself at home point. Idk how much truth there is to it though.

I always try to be conscious of not turning into one of those guys who doesn't wear deodorant or shower regularly because "it's the good healthy oil and your body should be in its natural state" or whatever. All that to me seems like cognitive dissonance

I was told it doesn't make a difference as long as you rinse thoroughly if using toothpaste. Because toothpaste has sweeteners in it to make it more palatable.

Lol here comes the arm & hammer astroturfing

You can also use baking soda for deoderant as well. I have been doing this for years now. I literally just put some baking soda in my hands with a little water, rub them together and lightly rub my armpits with it. If I put enough on, I can seriously go days without taking a shower. It will also get in the sleeves of your shirt which is even more effective.

Peroxide, baking soda, and clove oil is bomb for simple oral health.

baking soda is also a good cleaning agent which does no harm to your body as well!

Thanks for the info! My gf has started trying to use baking soda and small amounts of hydrogen peroxide instead of toothpaste. She isn't a huge fan, but is still sticking to it. I'll recommend she add mint or something.

She did it to avoid fluoride intake, which is something we are both trying to be mindful of avoiding.

Hydrogen peroxide is a very corrosive bleaching agent and is also a known carcinogen. Why is she avoiding fluoride if she's willing to use that?

She doesn't use it frequently. Just highly dilutes it to rinse and spit out a couple times a month. I think she is mostly trying out non-commercial alternatives, not really set on anything yet.

known carcinogen

sauce?

Its carcinogenic effect stems from it converting to hydroxyl radicals in acidic environments, but this study actually found oral use to not pose much of a risk. That is, presuming a healthy presence of antioxidants. So, eat them oranges.

oranges are acidic?

I think, based on how you responded, you dropped this ^n't

His statement implied it's only carcinogenic in acidic environments, then goes on to tell the previous poster to eat more oranges, which are acidic. So, you did drop that.

oranges have antioxidants is what the poster is trying to say

And yet at the right concentration it is an effective oral rinse. You'll note that you are not advised to ingest it even at a concentration of 3%, but a 1 minute swish and spit is considered a mild antiseptic and a treatment for canker sores and gingivitis.

It calcifies your pineal gland which is responsible for the creation of DMT in your brain.

Tibetans and other Central Asians drink a lot of black tea that is super-concentrated and made from mature leaves, which means they are prone to accumulating toxic amounts of fluoride. What are the symptoms of a "calcified" pineal gland, and has it been seen in Tibetans? Has it affected Tibetan monks' ability to be spiritual and entered altered states of consciousness?

Yes, it could have.

Do you have a source, or is this idle speculation?

There are plenty of articles about it but here’s the first one I found https://www.globalhealingcenter.com/natural-health/how-fluoride-damages-pineal-gland-health/

How about plaque and tartar control?

Just because you're not going to buy toothpaste anymore doesn't mean you should stop going for dental checkups.

Ah ok.

Not even trying to be a smart ass here... But isn't capitalism a conspiracy of some sort?

Apple cider vinegar after a baking soda shampoo will work miracles on most hair

But isn't capitalism a conspiracy of some sort?

For sure, profit chasing inevitably leads to misinformation and lies given enough time I suppose. Humans are greedy fucks.

Always seeking cheaper ingredients to improve that profit margin. The health of your teeth (or the rest of your body) is not a priority.

Doesn’t that dry the hair out?

Not on its own, but pending your hair type, maybe. If so, use coconut oil afterwards.

It can. My routine is usually coconut oil condition and a Apple cider vinegar rinse after. But I am brutal on my hair....color every 4 weeks, straightening every day. The only commercial sort of product I buy is the color.

The acv adds shine and a lot of strength. If you use coconut oil it really helps stop breakage and makes hair really soft.

That’s what I wanted to know. I color often as well. Thanks for the tip

You don't really need to put much of anything in your hair if you're able to shower regularly. Just scrub your scalp under warm water, the oils will adjust to the right amount naturally from there. Your hair won't look greasy, won't smell bad, and will look much healthier. Use a shampoo/cleaner once every 2 months or so.

rip enamel

You rock. Pulling out raw numbers and shit.

Understood. Just a quality that seems to be lacking otherwise.

That's cool, man. Thank you for sharing.

Name the 5 hottest dental number fact spitters? Dhylan, Dhylan, Dhylan, Dhylan and Dhylan.

Imma have to shut the studio down

doing your taxes? is that what's hot in the streets right now?

If Imma reopen the studio, man, I need, man, I need the PUREST Hydrogen Peroxide and the STRONGEST spinbrush, in all the land. I mean, that's the only way I can reopen it, y'knaimean?

he spits that hot baking soda

Please sir, can I have some Mohs

Hmm, I wonder if that’s how samosa got its name.

Well, that was an unexpected (oliver) twist.

Got supporting literature?

tbh this is what my dentist told me. I brought it up when we were discussing teeth whitening. I mentioned strawberry and baking soda was a common natural remedy and he told me it damages enamel

I never bothered looking into it since professional bleaching works better and cost wasn't an issue

http://jada.ada.org/article/S0002-8177(17)30822-X/fulltext

The safety of dentifrices containing baking soda has been extensively studied.15, 18, 19 Researchers in both clinical and laboratory studies have found these products to be safe, to be low in abrasiveness, to not contribute to root sensitivity, and to be safe for use by patients on low-salt diets. This latter finding is important, given that patients swallow 5% to 7% of a dentifrice with which they brush.20

My dental hygienist also told me oil pulling was completely useless, despite it being a common practice for the last 3,000 years in other countries.

I've been oil pulling like 2-3 months now. Within the first month alone, sensitive spots on my teeth went away and my teeth have since become whiter. It's also completely taken away sinus pains I'd been having prior to.

I honestly think dental school brainwashes their students into western medical treatments.. like putting neurotoxin metal in your teeth and feeding you toxic fluoride..

"Human oral mucosa is subjected to many noxious stimuli. One of these substances, in those who have restorations, is dental amalgam which contains mercury."

https://www.hindawi.com/journals/bmri/2012/589569/

I was always under the impression baking soda stripped a layer from the teeth - I don't know for sure whether that is the case. I personally prefer to brush with salt water and that's plenty enough.

Just curious: Isn't there quite a bit of sodium in baking soda already? Why would one need to add additional salt?

as additional abrasive.

? Baking soda is a salt. Not table salt (NaCl), it is NaHCO3.

Sodium bicarbonate

Why the ? dude, you are reaffirming my point.

I wasn't sure what you were saying by "adding additional salt".

I have read that mixing a bit of salt with baking soda is a good idea

Perhaps we agree that this would be redundant?

To much baking soda can damage enamel. Use coconut butter with cider vinegar in the mix and only add baking soda sparingly or a few times a week.

Vinegar is acidic and can cause problems

Charcoal toothpaste. Made my teeth whitened brighter than any treatment I have every had. I have had a lot of treatments .... this is the best.

Hah seems so backwards! I'll have to look into it though.

It does but I promise it’s a life changer. I only use My Magic Mud. The others have fake sweetener.

Charcoal toothpaste is my jam!

For 69 OP, your are incredibly computer savvy. Impressive write up...

I was going to say "get a room" but you're way ahead of me...

Really? All I did was take coconut oil + cinnamon oil + baking soda + ???I forgot 4th ingredient. and mixed them together, is a nice toothpaste for myself. Maybe I just need to go simpler than that and just do baking soda.

I've never done baking soda, but have you ever tried coconut oil pulling? I use that method for myself, and to keep my 10 year old cavity-free. His dentist always remarks how healthy his mouth is compared to other kids his age. Maybe I will finally give baking soda a try though... I've read about several times, but you may have just convinced me to take it more seriously. Thankyou for that, and high-five to good oral health!

Can you elaborate on the 'coconut oil pulling'?

You basically swish your mouth with about a 1tbsp of coconut oil for about 15-20 minutes. The idea is that the coconut removes common bacteria, reduces gum swelling, and whitens the teeth.

I gave it a try about 2 weeks before a dentist appointment and while I am not sure that it whiten my teeth, my gums felt much healthier.

Not trying to be a jerk here but how does one keep a 10 year old swishing coconut oil around their mouth for 15-20 minutes?

Bah, as a grown man even i would struggle.

Start before you get in the shower.

We do it together. We grab the jar, get a big heaping spoonful of coconut oil, and set a timer. Sometimes we sit together and draw or write funny notes to each other (since we can't talk while swishing). Or we'll build legos, etc.... at first it was a challenge, a few years back, to get him to oil pull with me. He could only go about 4 to 6 minutes before freaking out and spitting it out in the trashcan, it takes time to get used to the taste. But also, I showed him several pictures of nasty teeth on the internet and showed him what can happen to unhealthy gums (lovely parental scare tactics). He's come a long way, and now, 20 minutes on the clock seems like nothing at all. We try to do it once to twice a week. Also, we still use traditional toothpaste twice a day (non fluoridated toothpaste), so coconut oil pulling is just an extra step we take to protect our mouths. And for real, his dentist is always very impressed with his teeth when we see her every six months.

Awesome!! That's great :)

You seem like an involved and good parent. Keep it up!

Aww, that totally made me smile. Thank you!

You get a jar of (unrefined, expeller/cold pressed) coconut oil, grab a big spoonful, and put it in your mouth. It quickly turns from a solid to a liquid, and you swish that around and let it soak into your teeth for 15-20 minutes. It removes toxins, can reverses cavities and kills bacteria. It leaves your mouth feeling so incredibly clean! Im definitely grateful to have found and tried this home remedy. The taste takes some getting used to. That's probably the hardest part, is accepting the taste, if you don't really dig coconut flavor. But after a few minutes it just feels like thick water swishing around in your mouth, its really not so bad. If you do try it, I'd like to advise spitting it out in to a trashcan, not down the drain/sink. The build up of oil in the drain will eventually become a clog. But other than that, coconut oil pulling is wonderful and leaves your breath nice a fresh and gives you a whole-mouth clean! Love it!

How often do you do it?

Not OP, but i do it once or twice a week while watching tv or playing one of my guitars.

We go for once to twice a week. I wish I had taken some before and after pictures, way back when i first discovered oil pulling (about three years ago). I was completely shocked that it gradually reversed all the dark spots in my teeth. I didn't believe it would actually work, but it did! I suppose back then I was doing it more like five days a week, because I wanted to keep up the results I was seeing. After all the dark spots had become white teeth again,(which probably happened over the course of a few weeks or so) I slowed down to just maintaining my progress with once to twice a week. I've read that some people convert to strictly oil pulling, and give up traditional teeth brushing all together, but Im not that dedicated. Plus I enjoy the clean, just-brushed feel that only a toothbrush can give me. Oil pulling is wonderful in its own way though. Our teeth are porous like a sponge, they just soak the coconut oil right up and they love it!

Its very important to use unrefined coconut oil though, it has to say its expeller or cold pressed. Otherwise you'll be buying coconut oil that's been overly processed from a factory, and all its nutrients/health benefits get super heated and destroyed before it even hits the shelf. Oh and one last note! Its also great to eat raw coconut oil, it has a slew of health benefits and our brains love the healthy fats. BUT, you do not want to swallow the same coconut oil that just you oil-pulled with. Once the 15-20 minutes are up, spit that out in a trashcan. It just removed toxins and germs and bacteria, etc from your whole mouth, and you don't wanna swallow that! I saw people asking that on a forum once, so now I always make sure to just mention it, just in case. Okay, good luck, I hope you'll give it a try!

Thanks for the info!

Is this just like a regular coconut oil you would use for cooking? I'd be really interested in trying this if it really helps with gum health.

Yes it is! The only requirement is that it should be organic, and must be expeller pressed (cold pressed). If it doesn't say its expeller pressed, then its been super-heated and treated/processed at the factory, and has already lost its nutrients and beneficial goodness. But otherwise, yes, it is the same coconut oil you can cook with or use in recipes.

If you're bored, do an image search online for "coconut oil pulling reverse cavities". I wish I had taken my own before and after photos, because I have personally reversed three deep, dark spots in my molars just by oil-pulling the toxins out of my teeth. And has helped keep my son cavity-free, this stuff is incredible! Its definitely worth looking in to!

Chose your baking soda wisely, some brands can contain aluminum.

Sorry, I am mistaken. Baking powder containing aluminum is what you should look out for.

Baking powder can contain aluminum sulfate ("alum"). It isn't anything like aluminum metal. I see people on this sub being worried about aluminum, I don't think people realize that it is an extremely abundant element - actually the most abundant metal in the earth's crust. Clays are aluminosilicates.

Can mix with coconut butter (or oil, depending how warm it is) if you want it pastey. Add lemon for whitening. Peppermint oil for flavor.

Similarly, use vinegar for underarm deoderant. Cheaper, non-toxic. But if you're eating right - fresh fruits and vegetables -- you won't need any deodorant at all, believe it or not. (I imagine this is how animals can smell the difference between herbivores and carnivores -- herbivores don't have meat rotting in their gut and toxic waste coming out their pores.)

Yrmv Sister is vegan. Eats very healthy. Doesn't wear deodorant. Smells like shit.

So baking soda is safe for long term use to ingest for reflux?

That's ok, thank you for the response!

Just rinsing all the food out of your mouth after every meal is something I do. I feel like it helps.

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Yea floss picks are legit. Flossing is a lot easier with those

This. And staying hydrated helps keep saliva levels nominal.

A great cure for indigestion: to a few ounces of water you add a few dashes of lemon juice, a spoonful of sugar, ice cube or two and a teaspoon of baking soda. Mix well and drink it down while it's fizzy, and your indigestion will be gone in just a few minutes.

A cup of warm water w a teaspoon of baking soda is hella relief for a UTI!

yea but how else will I get my fluoride? I have a well and didn't opt for the fluoridation equipment (yes thats a real thing I was offered)

Don’t brush them using that I’ve made that mistake and it felt like I just took sandpaper to my gums...I found it’s better to just be gentle as hell with it

I prefer Colgate, the cheap, no special ingredient kind. Costs a buck and lasts a year.

I’ve been using a German plant based gel toothpaste. No foaming. No minty.

Best toothpaste I’ve ever used.

The brand is weleda.

I’ve been using sensodyne as I delay getting cavities filled (like an idiot) and this stuff works as good or better. It’s also easier for me to use at night cause it doesn’t make my mouth water/give me the need to spit constantly.

Having used it I freaking hate the foaming mintyness. This one doesn’t really have any taste. (I have some natural mouthwash that tastes bad)

Weleda is great. Trying out Dr. Bronner’s right now because I love their soap and business practices. Basically a baking soda/peppermint paste.

Their soap clogged the shit out of my drain, I’m pretty sure.

I like it otherwise so it’s too bad.

Do you only use cold water? I’ve only used Bronner’s for over a decade and never had that problem.

If you brush with baking soda every day without diluting it well with something like coconut oil, you will probably erode the enamel protecting your teeth. Be careful! It's ok to brush with it maybe once a week dry like that or something. From experience!

I did this until my dentist told me it was wearing away my enamel.

I'm not sure what this means. Are you saying your gums had a gap between the gums and the tooth? Or did it reverse recession and the gums grew back further down the tooth?

I have a couple of areas in my mouth where my gums have receded somewhat, and it is really bothering me. I'm trying to find a way to reverse it and get them to grow back down to where they used to be, because I don't want to look "long in the tooth", as I'm only 26.

Ive got a couple of gaps between teeth and gums. Dentist told me they will grow back some but not all the way. He was right.

Denists are full of bullshit for the most part. They wouldn't have a job if everyone kept their teeth clean

You could also try "oil pulling" with coconut oil. Look it up and try it out! It's awesome

I don't like baking soda, could I use toothpaste and get the same results?

zing!

This is good advice! It’ll save me $5 a year since toothpaste lasts me forever anyway

Are people not seeing that you said not going in for professional cleaning is saving you hundreds, not toothpaste? Did I read it wrong?

One would like to think. Under Medicare you could at least get your teeth cleaned by a dental hygienist a couple of times a year, but that is absolutely not the case.

Whoa whoa whoa you're just asking too much. What do you think this is, one of the richest countries in the world?

There is also glycerin in regular Toothpaste which prevents teeth from remineralizing...

Dude toothpaste is like 5 bucks and lasts a month 😂

Fair enough. A box of baking soda is about the same, how long does it last you donyou think?

I guess marketing could be considered a conspiracy, though not the kind lost people are used to seeing. I think I read somewhere that shaving companies did the same thing, creating the impression that shaved was better so they could sell you their product.

That’s not all, shaving of most of the body hair off may or may not have been a result of a really good ad campaign directed towards women. I recall reading or hearing a discussion on it, and the issue revolves around shaving companies trying to find a way to open the market to women to make more money. This began an ad campaign designed to create the impression that smooth and hairless was more aesthetically pleasing so women started buying razors.

I personally think there was also a side effect to this I regards to porn companies. If you watch more vintage porn you don’t see as much, for lack of a better term right now, crotch shaving. This began to change and I think what encouraged this was the idea that younger women were more attractive than older women, so shaving of the privates was done to make the woman seem younger. For guys it was done because shaving improved the appearance of size. Just want to reiterate this last paragraph is just personal opinion because I never looked to see if I’m correct.

I mix equal parts of baking soda and coconut oil together. Then I add a few drops of good grade peppermint oil. This is what I use for toothpaste.

Years ago I saw a video by a dentist that recommended brushing with baking soda and gargling with diluted hydrogen peroxide. I tried it for 3 weeks and my teeth were the whitest. Then I had a dental appointment. The hygienist asked how I got my teeth so white, when I told her she said don't brush with baking soda, you will wear the enamel off your teeth. So I went back to regular toothpaste and my teeth got yellow again.

Couple of months after that, they brought out baking soda toothpaste.

Lol they've had it for a while. The world doesn't revolve around you

the first two words he wrote were "years ago". not everyone here is 20.

This happened about 15 or 20 years ago. Why do you think the world revolves around me?

I don't. You do.

Ok have a nice day

Good to know

Solid post. Used to brush with baking soda as a kid. Adding mint leaves is a good bonus tip.

What about hasir loss?

I've posted this once before when the topic came up. I haven't brushed my teeth in about 10 years. I was always into nutrition, and about 10 years ago I discovered Weston A Price. The idea is that your teeth are a reflection of your overall health. Based on his study of people around the world, he noticed that people who have a good amount of healthy animal fats in their diet tended to have nice teeth.

Around the same time, I also did research into raw veganism and tried it out for a while. I noticed among the raw vegan community, the issue of teeth problems was a reoccurring topic. I've read of more than a few young, raw vegans having severe teeth problems to the point that they bite into something like an almond and a tooth literally crumbles away. The raw vegan community blames the all the sugar and says that when this happens its because people aren't brushing enough. Many people on this diet brush their teeth 5 or 6 times per day, and yet their teeth still crumble away. I became convinced that it wasn't the sugar doing this; it was the lack of healthy animal fats as Weston A Price wrote about.

That gave me the confidence to stop brushing my teeth, and as I said I haven't brushed my teeth in 10 years. About 2 years after I stopped brushing I went to the dentist and was pretty nervous. They cleaned my teeth and said I was doing a great job brushing but to try to floss a little more haha.

Also, if brushing protects your teeth, why do very elderly people always have dentures? Do old people just stop brushing? No, its because your teeth are basically like bones. Good bone health probably equals good teeth health. Poor bone health (eating nothing but fruit) equals poor teeth health.

When you think about it, the belief that the health of your teeth is related to the bacteria on the outside of your teeth, and you keep your teeth healthy by scrubbing the outside of your teeth every day, is fucking absurd, but I wouldn't expect a society that takes pills for everything to have any other opinion regarding dental health.

And no, my breath doesn't smell bad. My wife would have no problem telling me if it did. But as a side note, whenever I meet someone with fucking horrendous breath, I find out they use mouthwash every day. That's what causes the bad breath. It kills all the bacteria in your mouth. The good bacteria is what keeps the bad bacteria away. Using mouthwash is bad for your teeth and makes your breath smell like a dumpster

I always thought baking soda was bad for the enamel of teeth. Anything that cleans pot rust stains shouldn't be used on teeth imo

Check out /r/ZeroWaste and /r/simpleliving

My mom and grandma both did this all their lives and both lived to near 100.

Also hydrogen peroxide mixed with it. And/or coconut oil.

So I can keep the "substantial" amount of money i'd have spent on toothpaste?! It costs like 2 bucks and lasts a month at least.

I can't wait to save like 10 bucks a year.

They're saying professional cleaning not toothpaste is saving them money.

“Substantial amount”. Toothpaste is what? $5 a tube maybe, and lasts for a month or two.

I mean I am not saying it isn’t a good idea... you also avoid fluoride and chemicals.

I just meant that “substantial amount is questionable” especially when toothpaste (and deodorant) are two items in particular that (without being an “extreme couponer”) you can almost always find manufacturer coupons online to get 2 for 1 or less. Toiletries like deodorant, toothpaste, shampoo and shaving cream (before I converted to safety razors because holy shit that saves money without having to learn to sharpen a straight razor) are a few items that I will find online coupons for and buy a ton for about $1/tube or bottle and just get a year or more supply of all for under $20.

I suppose kind of a tangent since self-sufficiency and natural, non-chemical is best.

Well done. Hey I am not trying to convince you, sorry, just discussing but sometimes I come off confrontational sounding.

Most toothpaste contains fluoride aka toxic waste.

Glad you decided to make the switch.

After being on this sub I wonder how many people actually smile anymore.

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Thanks for sharing! May you continue to have healthy teeth and gums.

I am stopping at the store tomorrow, no wait I think I have some. Thank you

How often do you do it?

Imma have to shut the studio down

Yes, it could have.

he spits that hot baking soda

Pink is just iron oxide, usually from shady Pakistani sources. Be wary where you source "Nepalese" salt from.

What is a pocket in the gums?

Well done. Hey I am not trying to convince you, sorry, just discussing but sometimes I come off confrontational sounding.

The pink kind can be full of terrible stuff, lead and other heavy metals. Also has no iodine. Regular salt or brand name sea salt is a safer option. Also salt and baking soda together is good.