Making my own tooth powder
For years I have been using toothpaste to brush my teeth. I remember I loved the kid’s toothpaste, especially because there was some (artificial) taste added which made the toothpaste tasty and yummy. ‘’Don’t swallow it!’’ would my mum say.
One day my mum was just randomly watching some YouTube videos and she ended up watching some videos about how toothpaste can be harmful for us. Following that video, she had watched some DIY toothpaste videos and that is when we made our first own natural toothpaste with coconut oil, dry mint leaves and a little bit of baking soda. After having brushed my teeth with the consistency we made together my teeth felt so clean and looked way brighter than usual.
I wondered do we really need toothpaste? some brands which are even recommended by our own dentist, and what did people use to keep their teeth and gums healthy before toothpaste tubes became commercialized and sold all over the place?
Before Colgate
Before the industrial revolution people made their own tooth remedies at home. Ancient tooth remedies would consist out off for example: mango leaves, natural rock or sea salt, charcoal and castor tree bark. Depending on which country and the availability of natural resources people would have their own way to keep their teeth and gums healthy.
Furthermore, people didn’t really use toothbrushes, instead they would use their fingers to apply (for example) natural rock salt to their teeth and/or gums or they would chew on mango leaves or pieces of castor tree bark for instance.
Never used toothpaste in my life
There are some people that still use the traditional way of keeping their teeth strong and healthy. As for example my great friend’s grandfather who lives in Wayanad a place full off flora and fauna located in the Indian province called Kerala. He has never used toothpaste in his entire life and in addition only brushes his teeth once during the day, in the morning. His teeth are still strong and healthy despite not having used toothpaste ever. He told his grandson he never had to go to the dentist, he only went once because the government organized checkups for the people in his area one time but not because he had had any problems with his teeth. He also recalls that when traveling with his family they would gather natural products on the way to their destination instead of carrying a tube of toothpaste as we all do currently.
In some countries elderly people have actually very bad looking teeth. I remember that my uncle from Australia would joke around when seeing some old person with bad teeth. Look at his teeth! It’s not his fault, in his time there was no toothpaste, he would say laughing out loud. My friend’s grandfather also explained that some elderly people have bad teeth because the habit of chewing tobacco leaves on a daily basis. Chewing tobacco frequently can have an enormous negative effect on the health of your teeth and gums which makes your smile look very scary and probably toothlessly.
What does the toothpaste market offer nowadays?
There are many toothpaste brands to choose from as mentioned before some even recommended by dentists. You can easily get a tube in any supermarket. One of the issues with these so convenient tubes is that they contain artificial and chemical ingredients. These ingredients are harmful for our bodies. Health organizations have approved to still sell these products on the market by certifying significant large toothpaste manufacturing companies for numerous of reasons. Some known some unknown.
One argument would be that, yes it does contain unwholesome ingredients, however the toothpaste is only used inside the mouth and only small bits will enter orally inside the body as the paste is not meant to be swallowed. The actual case is that just like our skin around our body the surface inside our mouth also has absorbing properties. In fact, the tissue inside of your mouth is way more permeable than your skin.
In 2016 the FDA banned an antibacterial ingredient called triclosan from soaps, regardless this component is still allowed in toothpaste. How can something be banned from a product we use on our hands and still be accepted in a product, we put inside of our mouths? As triclosan there are numerous of questionable ingredients inside of toothpaste, too many to mention them all.
Nowadays, you can also get organic toothpaste, you just have to look a little bit harder, I guess. Herbal toothpaste will contain more natural ingredients than regular mass-produced toothpaste. Then aside from herbal toothpaste, even if it isn’t widely used today you can still also obtain toothpowder, mostly online, though also in some organic shops. Lastly, you can also try to make your own natural tooth powder or paste. There are many great recipes on making homemade toothpowder’s to be found online. The DIY toothpowder I’m using at the moment contains cinnamon, cloves, sea salt, dry mint leaves and a little bit of baking soda.
We sometimes forget we have so many natural products available that can help us to keep ourselves strong and healthy. It’s so beautiful, mother nature provides all we need.
(some images are made possible with the help of canva)