DIY: A Nontoxic Way To Whiten Your Teeth Bleaching our teeth white is not cool. We are putting so many harmful chemicals on our teeth and in our mouths that seep through to the gums, tongue, and rest of the body that it is scary. Plus  Read

Whenever we brush our teeth we absorb the ingredients in the #toothpaste. We should think twice about absorbing what is in regular toothpaste. What is so bad about it? First, it costs more than making your own version. Second, it is full of chemicals like sodium lauryl sulfates (SLS), artificial flavorings and colorings, parabens, glycerin, fluoride, and more. SLS is on of the worst chemicals found in body-care products. It has been linked to all sorts of health issues, including cancer. Fluoride is also bad.

There are many brands of organic toothpaste to choose from. You can find a selection at most health-food stores and drugstores, and even in regular supermarkets. You can also make your own!

I make my own toothpaste using clay, baking soda, #coconut oil, salt, and #peppermint extract. All the ingredients provide health benefits in addition to cleaning the teeth. The coconut oil has antibacterial properties. The clay, which is tasteless and gives the toothpaste its pasty consistency, draws out toxins from the gums and tongue. Try one of the following two recipes.

Toothpaste for Three Brushings

Ingredients

1 tsp. baking soda

1 drop peppermint or lemon essential oil

A few drops of water

Preparation

Mix in a bowl until the paste is formed. Then brush your teeth.

Three-Month Toothpaste Supply

This recipe makes a little more than one cup of toothpaste. You should be able to make it for under three dollars. You can store it in a jar in the fridge for up to four months, and it will keep in your medicine cabinet at room temperature for 7—14 days.

Ingredients

1/2 cup bentonite clay

1/8 tsp. salt

2 tsp. baking soda

2/3 cup water

1/4 cup coconut oil

1 tsp. stevia (optional)

1—4 drops peppermint essential oil

Preparation

Mix the clay and salt in a bowl. Add the water. Mix well. Add the rest of ingredients. Mix well again until it forms a paste. Store it in a jar with a lid. Every time you go to use it, spoon some onto your toothbrush. Dampen the paste by putting your brush under some gently running water. Brush as usual.

Breath Fresheners

Conventional gum is made with chemical ingredients, like aspartame, that are linked to cancer and schizophrenia. No thanks! Instead, use a simple, natural alternative. Most of these are less expensive than purchasing gum.

Instead, chew on … Ginger slices or a few leaves of parsley, mint, or cilantro. Grow your own. Chew on two leaves of parsley, for instance, before leaving for work in the morning or on your way out the door!

Eat … An apple or avocado.

Brush and gargle with … Lemon water (rinse thoroughly afterward so as not to strip your tooth enamel), baking soda, or bentonite clay.

Excerpt from The Earth Diet: Your Complete Guide to Living Using Earth’s Natural Ingredients by Liana Werner-Gray. It is published by Hay House (October 2014) and is available now at all major bookstores.

Photo Credit: Shutterstock

Liana Werner-Gray is a sought-after speaker and advocate for natural healing using a healthy diet and lifestyle. After healing herself of many negative health conditions including a pre-cancerous tumor, digestive issues and disorderly eating through embracing a natural
lifestyle, Werner-Gray began lecturing and teaching about The Earth Diet internationally. Through her company and book, The Earth Diet: Your Complete Guide to Living Using Earth’s Natural Ingredients, Liana has helped thousands of people improve, and in some cases entirely heal, conditions such as cancer, diabetes, addictions, depression, acne, heart disease, obesity, and more. For more information, visit: http://www.theearthdiet.com/

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