Non-Conventional Dental Habits to Keep Your Teeth in Your Mouth

You’ve been brushing with fluoride toothpaste for years, even flossing most days, and you’re still getting bad results at the dentist every six months. What gives?!

Trust me, you’re not the only one! There are TONS of people out there who are losing teeth, getting root canals, and struggling with halitosis. Here I present some products that you probably haven’t thought of to keep a mouth healthy and microbe-free. I’m sharing Amazon affiliate links here, but you might be able to find some of these products locally. Some you might already have, and using them for something else! I’m not going to give recipes here, because each person and problem is different. I’m sharing the products, and you will have to figure out what works for you.

The most important product and something EVERY person should own is an oral irrigator. I’ve used other brands that have gone downhill in the past decade, so I can’t recommend them. But I’ve recently ordered the WaterPik Aquarius and it works great. It has a 3-year warranty, so I know I will get my money’s worth even if it dies in the next three years. You can irrigate with just water, or add peroxide, mouthwash, or colloidal silver to help get rid of bacteria in your gums. It’s also a necessity if you have any sort of tooth replacement such as a bridge or implant (I do not recommend either, but that’s a topic for another day). It can find food that your toothbrush couldn’t, and dislodge it before it causes problems.

Another product I HIGHLY suggest is the Sonicare toothbrush. You don’t have to get anything special. I believe mine is the original one that used to cost a LOT of money. But now they are super affordable, and I’m just in love with mine. I have super sensitive gums, and it keeps me from over-brushing. I’m sure there are all kinds of studies to back up their effectiveness, but I’m just telling you the experience itself is worth it!

I have not used toothpaste in YEARS. I simply use xylitol in water to brush with, swish, and gargle (I use about a tsp per oz of water). The reason I do this is because I learned something accidentally. While traveling in the car one summer, I kept some xylitol candy in my mouth constantly- I can’t even remember why. But after about six hours in the car, a piece of calculus that had formed on the back of my bottom teeth broke off.   I knew that xylitol was good for teeth, but this still shocked me. I know that consuming a ton of xylitol can cause GI issues, so I realized then that I could use the product and benefit from it without consuming it. That was about six years ago and it’s working great. If you are wondering why in the world I would have calculus on my teeth, it’s because I avoided the dentist for many years. After using xylitol to brush my teeth, and swish for about five minutes everyday, the calculus didn’t return. When I did finally return to the dentist, my teeth were practically calculus-free.

Xylitol is toxic to dogs, so keep it out of their reach!

Sometimes I add ConcenTrace mineral drops to my toothbrush/rinse water with the xylitol. As you probably know by now, we can absorb through the membranes in our mouths, such as under the tongue and the gums. This way we don’t have to depend on it going through our GI system where things might not be utilized as well. And it might just be in my head, but I think it makes my teeth feel stronger, too!

Let’s talk about oral health for a minute, and not so much the teeth. If you think about it, the ecosystem in the mouth starts at the lips and really goes all the way to the back of the throat and up to the nasal cavities and nostrils. Xylitol nasal spray helps with allergies and sinus infections, and I suggest using it regularly for oral health as well. This spray is super easy to use, or you can dip a cotton swab into your xylitol water and then gently cleanse the nostrils. The spray has a benefit of getting further into the nasal cavity, but if money is an issue, the nasal spray could wait. Because it helps if you get sick, or even to keep you from getting sick, I’d definitely put it on my list though. I did the cotton swab with peroxide in my nose every night after working in retail all day. It bubbles up and helps clean out the boogies that are holding on to viruses and bacteria.

More products for oral health include aloe vera juice, grapefruit seed extract, colloidal silver and oregano oil supplements. Here’s how I use these:

If you have dry mouth, or even a sore throat, a solution of aloe vera juice and grapefruit seed extract can be used as frequently as you’d like. You can also add colloidal silver or make a separate solution with aloe vera juice and colloidal silver. You can also get a pre-made spray by Xlear that works great. All of these have minimal to no taste. I personally use all and change them up just to keep any microbes guessing before they get knocked down!

Oregano oil is available in numerous strengths and modalities, such as essential oil, tincture, or herb. I’ll make this real easy by sharing the form I currently take (and have for a few years). Oregano oil has systemic benefits, and has even been known to help people with fatigue. I believe this is due to fatigue resulting from low grade infections, whether it’s in our mouths, or a latent viral infection our body is struggling to suppress. I started out taking two oregano oil capsules daily, and then went down to one when I started having a little heartburn. This can happen because it can kill too much of the microbiome in the gut, affecting digestion.

It goes without saying that you should floss daily and brush your teeth at least twice a day. Also, your diet will have something to say about your tooth health. Hopefully I’ve shared some ideas that will resonate with you and help you prevent or solve some issues you’ve been dealing with. This is not an exhaustive guide on the teeth, but some non-conventional ways to support a healthy mouth and strong teeth.

Don't you just hate when people try to sell you on stuff they don't even use? Here are pics of these products at my house so you know I'm not just trying to make a buck off of you!