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wikiHow to Clean Your Teeth Naturally

Three Methods:Cleaning With Natural IngredientsSwishing Liquids to Clean Your TeethMaking Natural ToothpasteCommunity Q&A

Keeping your teeth clean is important to avoid disease and infection, help you chew food, and to have a bright, healthy smile. Without regular cleaning, bacteria can build up in your mouth and on your teeth causing plaque, which can lead to gum disease and tooth decay. If you're worried about the artificial ingredients in commercial toothpaste products, you're not alone. Opponents of commercial, manufactured, essentially non-natural toothpastes focus on fluoride — an ingredient found both in nature and manufactured for consumer use.[1] Fortunately, conscious consumers have discovered several natural “at-home” teeth-whitening methods that can be as effective as fluoride-based solutions. You can learn to mix up a natural toothpaste from basic ingredients, as well as change your habits to keep your teeth clean while you eat.

Cleaning With Natural Ingredients

  1. 1
    Use a strawberry paste. The malic acid in strawberries is a natural emulsifier that helps removes surface stains and plaque. To make your own whitening toothpaste, simply mash a 2-3 strawberries in a cup and add ½ a teaspoon of baking soda to clean your teeth. This paste can be used a few times per week with improved results over a longer period of use. Since the malic and citric acid in strawberries can erode enamel, use this remedy in conjunction with a fluoride toothpaste.[2]
    • Make sure you floss afterwards, as strawberries have tiny seeds that can get caught between your teeth and in your gums.
  2. 2
    Use bananas to whiten your teeth. Potassium, magnesium, and manganese can be found in a ripe banana. These three vitamins can help remove stains and clean teeth. Simply peel a banana, take a small strip of the peel, and rub it on the surface of your teeth for two minutes every day. Be sure to brush afterwards.[3]
  3. 3
    Use apple cider vinegar. Apple cider vinegar is a multipurpose household product which also has natural teeth whitening properties. Although results may not be instant, using apple cider vinegar in conjunction with baking soda can help remove surface stains and whiten your teeth. To make your own teeth whitening paste, mix two teaspoons of apple cider vinegar with ½ teaspoon of baking soda, which can be used a few times per week. You can also simply use apple cider vinegar as a natural mouthwash along with your daily oral care routine, by swishing 1 fluid oz. in your mouth after meals for 2–3 minutes.[4]
  4. 4
    Use coconut oil. Coconut oil is a natural emulsifier which helps clean your teeth, reduce stains and fight off plaque and cavity causing bacteria. Mix a small amount of mashed peppermint or spearmint leaves (approx. 1–2 grams) with 2–3 tablespoons of coconut oil to use as a whitening paste or mouthwash. The peppermint leaves help keep your breath fresh throughout the day. Since coconut oil is gentle and non-abrasive, it can be used daily and is safe for people with sensitive teeth and gums.[5]
  5. 5
    Use sea salt. Instead of using toothpaste, dip your toothbrush into a sea salt mixture for 3–5 minutes, made by dissolving ½ teaspoon of salt in 1 fluid oz. of water, and brush your teeth with it. The salt temporarily increases the pH balance of your mouth, turning it into an alkaline environment in which germs and bacteria cannot survive. A salt water mouth rinse after meals can also help keep your mouth and throat clean while soothing and healing mouth sores.[6]
  6. 6
    Try chewing on neem sticks. Neem twigs and miswak sticks are used in many cultures to clean teeth. After chewing the bark off the end, you can separate fibrous bristles in the pulp of the wood, which can be used to brush the teeth as normal. The act of chewing and sucking on the twigs likewise helps to clean the mouth.[7]

Swishing Liquids to Clean Your Teeth

  1. 1
    Rinse your mouth with water immediately after eating. Removing any leftover food or residue from your teeth will help prevent stain and decay. This is an especially good idea if you're away from home and can't squeeze in a good tooth-brushing. Drinking water throughout the day and rinsing with clean water after meals is the most underrated method of overall oral health.[8]
    • Always avoid brushing right after very acidic foods, which can weaken your enamel. Instead, rinse with water.
  2. 2
    Use a water pick to pressure wash your teeth. A water pick helps blast stuck-on food from the surface and between the crevices of the teeth and gums. It's an excellent and healthy way to cleanse the mouth after meals.[9]
  3. 3
    Try oil pulling. Oil pulling is an Ayurvedic remedy in which you swish oil in your mouth to remove harmful germs and bacteria from your mouth. Vegetable oil contains lipids that absorb toxins and pull them out of saliva, as well as stopping cavity-inducing bacteria from sticking to the walls of your teeth.[10]
    • Take a spoonful of oil and swish it in your mouth for one minute to gain the benefits. If you can, try to swish the oil longer for 15-20 minutes. To make sure the oil absorbs and detoxifies as much bacteria as possible, aim to do this with an empty stomach.
    • Buy organic, cold-pressed oil. Sesame oil and olive oil can work, however coconut oil is the most popular, because of its taste and natural antioxidants and vitamins, such as Vitamin E.[11]
  4. 4
    Experiment with oil pulling. Oil pulling is an Ayurvedic medicine technique for detoxifying your mouth and cleaning your teeth and gums with oil. Swirling an organic cooking oil like coconut, grape seed, almond, or olive around your mouth daily can rejuvenate the cells, "pulling" toxins out of the mouth.[12]

Making Natural Toothpaste

  1. 1
    Brush with baking soda. Baking soda help whiten teeth and promote overall oral health. Take a teaspoon of baking soda and mix it in 2 teaspoons of water to make your own toothpaste, which you can brush with a few times per week. Make a new mixture for every use. Baking soda can also be used as a mouth rinse after meals by dissolving 1 teaspoon of baking soda in a cup of water and swishing it in your mouth for 2–3 minutes.[13]
    • Add a drop of peppermint extract and a half teaspoon of sea salt for added taste.[14]
    • When you are done adding the ingredients, just plop a pea-sized amount onto a tooth brush and brush away.
  2. 2
    Make a vegan toothpaste. Many toothpastes uses glycerin, which can be derived as a byproduct of animals. Unless its vegetable or synthetic glycerin, these toothpastes won’t be vegan. To make a vegan toothpaste, simply mix four tablespoons of baking soda, eight tablespoons of water, two teaspoons of vegetable glycerin, a half teaspoon of guar gum for a thicker toothpaste, and five drops of peppermint extract together.
    • Put your concoction in a small pot and cook on a stove at a low temperature. Stir for about five minutes or until it achieves a paste-like consistency.[15]
  3. 3
    Use a diluted soap. Soap made from natural ingredients and oils, like Dr. Bronner's popular brand, is a great alternative to commercial toothpaste. Dissolve about a teaspoon of soap in water and dip your toothbrush in the mixture. Peppermint-scented soap is preferable, for most people, but tea-tree, almond, rose, and other flavors might appeal to your own tastes.
    • In some places, tooth soaps are available, which are manufactured to be specifically palatable forms of soap, made without fluoride or other ingredients people have questions about.[16]

Community Q&A

Add New Question
  • Why do gums bleed?
    wikiHow Contributor
    Things like flossing, braces, and hard foods sometimes make gums bleed. It's normal for you to get a small cut, but they heal quickly.
  • Does brushing your teeth with baking soda get rid of yellow stains?
    wikiHow Contributor
    Yes, but don't use it every day because it is not healthy for your gums. Use it only a couple of times a week.
  • Can I brush my teeth with egg yolk?
    wikiHow Contributor
    You can, but egg yolk will not clean your teeth and may even leave behind an odor.
  • Can I use olive oil for oil swishing?
    wikiHow Contributor
    Yes, olive oil works. However, I would recommend coconut or sesame oil for oil pulling.
  • How do you get rid of gum disease?
    wikiHow Contributor
    You need to practice good oral hygeine, including seeing a dentist regularly. Brush, floss and use mouthwash every day.
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    • Dry-brush your teeth. Using a naked toothbrush is a perfectly fine way of keeping your teeth clean, as most of the cleansing effects of toothbrushing come from the brush itself, as opposed to the paste you put on it. You may not get the scent and the "feeling" of a clean mouth, but you'll be helping keep your teeth free of plaque.

    Things You'll Need

    • Strawberry
    • Banana
    • Apple Cider Vinegar
    • Coconut Oil
    • Sea Salt
    • Coconut Oil
    • Water Pick
    • Baking Soda

    Article Info

    Categories: Cleaning Teeth

    In other languages:

    Español: limpiar tus dientes de manera natural, Italiano: Pulire i Denti in Modo Naturale, Русский: отбелить зубы природным способом, Português: Limpar os Dentes Naturalmente, Deutsch: Deine Zähne natürlich putzen, Bahasa Indonesia: Membersihkan Gigi secara Alami, Français: nettoyer vos dents naturellement, 中文: 用天然方法清洁牙齿, Nederlands: Natuurlijke gebitsverzorging, Čeština: Jak si vyčistit zuby přírodními metodami

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