Whether you’re cued in to the health hazards of commercial
toothpastes, or just looking for some bi-weekly TLC to add to your dental discipline,
brushing your pearly whites with some sea salt and/or baking soda is a safe and
natural way to ensure strong teeth and gums, break down plaque buildup, and
protect against bad breath. Either used alone or together, sea salt and baking
soda (sodium bicarbonate) are inexpensive, time-tested treatments for tooth
care.
Let’s
Talk Sea Salt
Calcium, magnesium, silicon, phosphorus, sodium, nickel,
iron—just a few of many trace elements and minerals found in sea salt. These
nutrients strengthen gums, protect against tarter and bad breath, and may even
whiten your teeth over time. High in iodine, sea salt has antibacterial
properties and helps neutralize acids in the mouth. Salt makes you salivate,
and your saliva creates an antibacterial barrier that protects your enamel.
You can either dip a wet toothbrush into a half teaspoon of sea salt and brush
your teeth as you regularly would…or you can rinse with a saltwater solution.
Mix a half teaspoon of sea salt with four ounces of warm water. Let the salt dissolve,
and then slosh the solution around in your mouth for 30 seconds. Be sure to
spit and not swallow when done! A saltwater rinse helps allay swollen, inflamed
gums and rinses away bacteria in the mouth.
Let’s
Talk Baking Soda
Baking soda has long been praised as the natural way to
whiten teeth. It’s gritty enough to clean your teeth of tarter and plaque
without being so abrasive that it wears away your tooth enamel.
Sodium bicarbonate is highly alkaline, and as such
counteracts acids in the mouth (acids cause tooth decay), kills bacteria and
germs, and combats bad breath.
You can mix baking soda with water into a paste-like
consistency to clean teeth. Or you can combine baking soda and salt to make
your own homemade toothpaste. If you aren’t comfortable ditching your
traditional toothpaste entirely, brush with sea salt and baking soda once or
twice a week as supplemental dental care.
Are there any side effects to be wary of? According to Dr.
Paul H. Keyes D.D.S., clinical investigator at the National Institute of Dental
Research, NO! Keyes maintains, “Over the years when I was lecturing, I asked
thousands of dentists and hygienists to raise their hands if they had ever seen
destructive periodontal disease in person[s] who had regularly brushed with salt
and/or [baking] soda. I have never seen a hand! And although I have not seen
many such cases, the periodontal health in these patients has always been
excellent.”
Via
realfarmacy.com