Holistic Dental Routine

Toothbrush

The world consumes more than 3.6 billion plastic toothbrushes every year, most of which end up in landfills and in our oceans and will never biodegrade. But bamboo toothbrushes are compostable, including the packaging which is eco-friendly as the box and inside wrapper are made from recycled materials, and can be thrown out with the organic trash. I use Humble brush, which is a vegan, cruelty free and non-toxic certified brush, like many of the other bamboo brushes on the marked. Every Humble purchase also goes towards funding oral health projects for children in need. 

Tongue Scrape

Tongue scraping is a Ayurvedic practice, which is said to remove the "ama" from your tongue first thing in the morning, so you don't re-ingest it. A tongue scraper removes bacteria and toxins which collects on our tongue, alongside freshening your breath, improving your digestion, enhance taste and stimulating the internal organs. It helps remove the white layer on your tongue, which is a buildup of dead skin, plaque, food particles and sometimes even yeast.

I use a tongue scraper ordered from iHerb, but apparently you can use the back of a spoon. I try to do it two to three times a day, and once you start, you can't stop. You'll notice your mouth feels much fresher when your start incorprating this into your daily routine. 

Toothpaste

I use a natural toothpaste, free of fluoride (which is a neurotoxin that has harsh effect on the body over time) and other chemicals. You'll get great ones online or at your local health store. The absolute best and cleanest toothpaste I’ve come across is this, it takes a bit time to get used to due to hos amazingly clean it is, but it’s just a habit. A toothpaste with only 4 ingredients, how wonderful is that!

Here is an article that talks about fluorides adverse affects on us. I do not use any fluoride in my dental care and have NEVER had cavities my whole life, which proves that we do not need fluoride to prevent tooth decay or cavities. Eating a diet that is fairly low in sugar, mainly whole foods, minimal processed foods, and cutting out carbonated or sugary drinks plays a way bigger role in keeping our teeth healthy than any fluoride toothpaste ever will.

I've written more about dental hygiene and how our ancestors lived without access to toothbrushes and toothpastes, despite having strong and healthy teeth, and that the main reason for this was their diet, in my blog post about oil pulling here.