White teeth are associated with person’s health and beauty! Billions of dollars are spent annually to whiten and bleach teeth with lasers, whitening strips, toothpaste… I too love bright healthy smile, but prefer to achieve it naturally.
Going beyond beauty, healthy mouth can help to maintain overall body health. Bacteria in the mouth may cause gum diseases that contribute to other health issues. Gum diseases may be associated with diseases such as strokes, diabetes, heart, and other cardiovascular problems. I truly believe that is also contributes to skin inflammation, like acne, dry patches and other issues. Diseases in the mouth are caused by bacteria infections which are called periodontal diseases. These types of infections can lead to inflammation and can result in destroying gums and other tissues that support teeth.
Here I am again searching for natural ways. This time it’s about my healthy mouth and brighter smile.
Oil pulling is one of the methods I tried. Oil pulling is simply done by swishing a tablespoon of oil in the mouth for 15-20 minutes. First, I used Coconut oil. The taste is pleasant, but due to a strong aroma I was not able to swoosh it in my mouth for 15 minutes, because my taste buds recognized it as food and I would get so much saliva…Then I switched to using Sesame oil. Sesame oil was the oil used in Ayurveda for oil pulling originally. That was much better. It works really well. We did before and after pictures for my son, and it was amazing. However, I found it difficult to stick to this procedure, because of the time it required.
Knowing benefits of Turmeric, Coconut oil and Peppermint essential oil I decided to experiment, put them together and create a toothpaste! I made a small amount, just to try and was absolutely amazed by the outcome. My boys (8 and 11 years young), my husband and myself did not want to use a store bought toothpaste anymore. We saw teeth brightening effect right away. After using for few days, we noticed another benefit, the bad morning breath was gone! One side effect though, the toothbrushes now are yellow, and we have to be careful not to drop this toothpaste anywhere, because it leaves stains. But what is more important, yellow teeth or yellow toothbrush? I’ll take the yellow toothbrush over yellow teeth for sure! Here are the reasons why this DIY toothpaste works so well:
Turmeric contains a component called curcumin. This component has antibiotic, antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties which relieve dental ailments such as gingivitis and tooth ache. Turmeric also known for strong antioxidant content. It helps to relieve sensitive teeth. Turmeric is slightly abrasive, so it removes plague that may be responsible for tooth decay. Turmeric has been proven to whiten teeth despite its yellow- orange color. It not only whitens teeth, but also cleanses the teeth removing the bacterial infection that you may have. This is due to the antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties present in turmeric.
Coconut Oil has high levels of antioxidants. Coconut oil contains lauric acid, which is known to fight bacteria, and create a hostile environment for viruses. Research suggests that coconut oil is beneficial in reducing plaque formation and plaque induced gingivitis. When coconut oil hits your teeth and gums, microbes are picked up as though they are being drawn to a powerful magnet. Bacteria hiding in the gums and in pores and tubules within the teeth are sucked out.
Peppermint helps with halitosis (bad breath) and is antibacterial. Peppermint makes this toothpaste taste refreshing and pleasant.
Additional benefit of making your own toothpaste is that you don’t have to worry what is in there to possibly be harming your health. Many toothpastes contain surfactants like sodium laurel sulfate, sodium laureth sulfate (SLS), or sodium lauryl ether sulfate (SLES).
Lets say this DIY toothpaste will not make your teeth outrageously white, like teeth some Celebrities or news reporters got, but it will help you to have healthier, brighter smile.
DIY whitening Toothpaste recipe:
1 Table spoon organic Turmeric powder,
1 table spoon Organic Raw Coconut Oil,
10-20 drops Organic Peppermint essential oil.
Mix all ingredients together and store in a closed container.