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.”
source:realfarmacy