After our baby teeth are gone, we only have one set to last us for the rest of our lives. Although we’ve probably all been told the basics of tooth care—brushing our teeth, flossing and using mouthwash—there are still plenty of additional things we can do to take those extra steps of protection. Though there is a common belief that cavities are more or less irreversible once we have them, some new science may show that this is not necessarily true. In fact, we can take on strategies to help us heal our teeth the natural way.
Here are eight natural ways to heal cavities.
1. Change up your diet.
You may have heard before that sugar is bad for your teeth. Still, there are other dietary factors that could be affecting the development of cavities in your mouth! Studies have shown that some dietary changes could actually reverse tooth decay—mostly by reducing cereal-based products and increasing calcium, dairy and other vitamins. Who knew?
2. Try switching to sugarless gum.
In addition to moving away from sugar, sugarless gum also includes a chemical called xylitol. Xylitol is a natural sweetener which does not promote the growth of bacteria in your mouth. On a related note, chewing gum leads to increased saliva, which can also help clean your teeth.
3. Clean and switch out your toothbrush regularly.
One big oversight is to hold onto a toothbrush for too long, or to use a cap on your toothbrush. Don’t make these mistakes! Instead, make sure you rinse your brush after each use and let it air dry. Be sure to choose a toothbrush with bristles that are small enough to hit the crevices in your teeth and replace it when it wears out.
4. Keep up to date with all the basics of dental hygiene.
Though it should go without saying, make sure you’re doing all the basics of dental care to keep those teeth strong and healthy. That means regular brushing, flossing and mouth-washing!
5. Visit a dentist for teeth cleanings
No matter how well we treat our teeth, that are certain things that we just can’t do on our own. That’s where a trip to the dentist can come in handy. Although our toothbrush can get a lot of work done, a dentist can do an extra deep cleaning—particularly along our gum lines and other hard-to-reach places.
6. Add in some tooth-friendly supplements and vitamins.
In addition to cutting back on the bad stuff, try to incorporate foods and supplements that help strengthen your teeth. Anything with fiber, vitamin B, iron, magnesium and vitamin D is sure to do the trick.
7. Try pulling with coconut oil.
As an added protection, try “pulling” coconut oil to give your teeth some extra sparkle. To do this, simply get a tablespoon of coconut oil and swish it around in your mouth for 20 minutes until your saliva and the oil incorporate into a milky white color. When you’re all done, spit the oil out. This process helps suck all the bad bacteria out of your mouth.
8. Make your own homemade toothpaste.
Finally, you can even go organic and make your own special toothpaste if you want. To do this, simply combine a handful of safe ingredients, work it into a paste and use it like you would any other toothpaste. Your recipes may vary, but here is a good list of ingredients to consider using if you go this route.
Please SHARE this with your friends and family.
