Top Dental Tips for lasting Wellness
Evidence-based holistic guidance from Dr Italia
Interdental Cleaning
Fluoride-Alternative Toothpaste
Mouthwash for Plaque Control
Mouthwash for Plaque Control
it takes up to 2 minutes to make it
Ingredientes: 10 peppermint leaves, 5 sage leaves, Water, 2 cups, 13 drops of tea tree essential oil (if desired)
Instructions: Bring the water to a boil in a pot or kettle. Add all the herbs to the boiling water. Reduce the heat to soak the herbs for 15-20 minutes. Remove from the heat and let it aside for a few minutes to cool. To remove the herbs, strain the mixture through a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth. If used, add the essential oil. Mix thoroughly, pour into a clean bottle, swish the mouthwash about in your mouth for 30-60 seconds, then spit out!
Home-made herbal mouthwash for toothache/sensitivity: Hot water, one teaspoon of rock salt, 3-4 cloves, mix in a glass or stainless steel container and when coos down, rinse as many times as needed.
How to stop gums from bleeding
- See your dentist/hygienist regularly – especially if you suffer from diabetes/hypertension/other chronic conditions.
- A diet rich in vitamin C: carrots, red peppers (boosts the immune system) & K: kale, spinach (makes your blood clot)
- Green tea: contains a natural antioxidant called catechin, which can decrease the body’s inflammatory reaction to bacteria in the mouth
- Turmeric paste on gums for 10 minutes, twice a day: Turmeric has natural antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects, turmeric is yellow, rinse veeery well after. Turmeric has the same anti-inflammatory effects as Clorhexidine, without the chemical side effects on your body!
Dry mouth remedies
- Aloe Vera juice
- Ginger roots – supermarket or local fruit shop.
- Lemon water: Juice of 1 lemon, 1 cup of warm water.
- Ginger juice or tea
- Xylitol chewing gum
- BIOTENE saliva replacement
Bad breath remedies
Apple cider vinegar rinse
Lemon & water rinse
clove & cinnamon chewing sticks
Denture Care
- Denture cleaner
- Denture Brush
Boost your oral hygiene!
- Oil pulling
- Extra virgin coconut oil
- Organic raw coconut oil
- Baking soda
DIY Teeth whitening
- Baking soda: mixing it with water and brushing it on your teeth for 30 seconds before rinsing it with warm water
- Strawberry teeth whitening: Strawberries have malic acid, which can help whiten teeth, and baking soda is a mild abrasive.
Ingredients: 2 ripe strawberries, 1 teaspoon baking soda. Instructions: Mix the mashed strawberries with the baking soda, allow the mixture to sit on your teeth for 5 minutes, and thoroughly rinse with water.
Baby teething
- Frozen washcloth. Wet the washcloth, wring it out, and then put it in the freezer for at least an hour, for entertainment and pain relief!
- Frozen fruit/veggies. Put these foods in a mesh or silicone teether for tiny babies and freeze for at least an hour. For older babies, pop a banana in the freezer for an hour for a delicious, pain-relieving snack. Refrigerated carrots or cucumbers are also great for older babies. Be sure to supervise your baby at all times while eating.
- Frozen breast milk. Pour your breast milk into an ice cube tray and freeze for babies 4 to 6 months old. For babies older than 6 months, you can also blend some fruit or vegetables into the breastmilk for additional nutrition and flavour. Put the ice cubes in a mesh or silicone feeder.
- Chamomile. This herbal teething remedy can be made into a tea and given to your baby in his/her bottle, or you can make an infusion with olive oil and rub it directly onto your baby’s gums.
- Herbal remedies. Be sure to use these remedies under the supervision of your pediatrician or naturopath.
Teething granules – from 3+ months old (chamomile)
Soothing massage gel – from 3+ months old (chamomile)
Avoid these medications in babies/toddlers
- Benzocaine. Avoid teething medications that contain the pain reliever benzocaine. This ingredient can cause methemoglobinemia—a rare but serious condition that lowers oxygen levels in the blood.
- Lidocaine. This topical anesthetic can be toxic to infants and young children—it can cause seizures, brain damage, and even death.