Twenty or thirty years ago I changed from mass market toothpaste to Tom’s of Maine. Half a score later, Tom’s sold out to a much bigger fish who wanted to use the name, but not the integrity or wholesomeness it represented.
Happily, about that time I discovered the benefits of coconut oil and a recipe of that combined with good old fashioned baking soda. I have been stirring that up for tooth brushing and dribbling in a little On Guard essential oil blend into my mix.
If a gum or tooth infection flares up I follow that brushing with silver gel. I have dodged more than one root canal by killing the infection rather than having the thousand-dollar dentist carve it out … replacing my tooth core with a toxic mercury amalgam.
I use a very slight amount on my toothbrush, compared to the big long blob of commercial toothpaste shown on TV.
We tried introducing Mom to it, but she couldn’t get the hang of using very little. At her age, a little more commercial chemical toothpaste won’t make much difference.
Give it a go.
Costs next to nothing to try.
Your mileage may vary.
Coconut Oil Is Better Than Any Toothpaste According To New Study
Recent research done at the Athlone Institute of Technology studied the effects of several natural oils on common bacteria found in the mouth. And to no one’s surprise coconut oil came out as the big winner.
These new findings were a follow up study of earlier work that showed digested milk made it harder for Streptococcus mutans to stick to tooth enamel.
Enzyme-modified Coconut Oil, The Toothpaste of The Future
Scientists found that when the oil was treated with digestive enzymes it effectively inhibits the growth of the majority of bacteria found in our mouth, S. mutans included.
S. mutans is an acid-producing bacteria that plays a major role in tooth decay, affecting 60 to 90 percent of children and the majority of adults in industrialized countries.
While coconut oil’s bacteria fighting properties is nothing new, further studies presented at the Autumn meeting of the Society for General Microbiology at the University of Warwick, suggested that enzyme-treated coconut oil may be a potential killer to the yeast Candida albicans, which causes thrush.
“Incorporating enzyme-modified coconut oil into dental hygiene products would be an attractive alternative to chemical additives, particularly as it works at relatively low concentrations. Also, with increasing antibiotic resistance, it is important that we turn our attention to new ways to combat microbial infection,” said lead researcher Dr Damien Brady, from the Athlone Institute of Technology in the Republic of Ireland.
Not only will their research mean a lot to our oral health, they are also looking into the effects of digested products, such as coconut oil, on our overall gut health.
“Our data suggests that products of human digestion show antimicrobial activity. This could have implications for how bacteria colonise the cells lining the digestive tract and for overall gut health,” said Dr Brady.
How To Use Coconut Oil For better Oral Health
Have you ever thought of using a spoonful of coconut oil to clean your teeth and improve overall oral health? Then now may be the time. It doesn’t contain fluoride and is so much more effective at doing the job than regular toothpaste or mouth wash.
Oil pulling
Swish a spoonful of extra virgin coconut oil around in your mouth for 15-20 minutes. Make sure to not swallow the oil as it contains all the nasty mouth bugs. Spit it out in the bin and rinse teeth with water.
For more info, read “Why You Should Jump On The ‘Oil Pulling’ Health Craze To Improve Your Oral Health”
Tooth Paste Recipe
Here’s the all-natural tooth paste we use at home…
- ½ cup coconut oil
- 2-3 tablespoons baking soda
- 15-30 drops of peppermint essential oil
Melt coconut oil and blend with other ingredients. Pour into a glass jar and let cool. Use as you would use normal tooth paste.
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