Herbal Oral Hygiene - Part 2

Hello Again Fellow Health Seekers! I trust everyone is feeling a bit of "spring in their step" by now? Hope so. We had blissful, summer-like temps here in Maine last week, but alas, they were short-lived. Unfortunately, Mother Nature has not completely relinquished her icy grip just yet . . . as we have returned to winter-like weather this week! The forsythia buds are about to burst forth and the pansies have begun to bloom . . . harbingers of spring's soon-to-come warmth.

Today, I will continue the discussion of Herbal Oral Hygiene by sharing a natural tooth-brightening recipe plus herbal tips for freshening your breath while improving digestion.

Strawberry Tooth Brightener

Strawberries produce a slight bleaching action upon the teeth due to their naturally-occurring, mild fruit acid and, if used daily, help to rid the teeth of tea, coffee, and cigarette stains. This treatment leaves your mouth feeling clean and tasting wonderful. A strawberry is much safer to use than lemon juice, which is much, much more acidic and can damage tooth enamel when used over time. When the fruit is in season, eating a bowl of strawberries daily is also another good way to brighten teeth and improve health.

Ingredients:
- 1 medium-sized ripe strawberry

Recommended For: everyone, especially those with stained teeth
Use: daily or as desired
Follow With: water rinse or herbal mouthwash
Prep Time: approximately 2 minutes
Blending Tools: small bowl and fork or mortar and pestle; toothbrush
Store In: do not store; mix as needed
Yield: 1 treatment

Method:
Remove the green top and stem first. Using a small bowl and fork or a small mortar and pestle, mash the strawberry into a pulp.

Application Tips:
Dip your toothbrish into the pulp and brush normally. Rinse thoroughly. Now, doesn't your mouth feel clean? Your teeth should show signs of brightening with consistent use.

Herbal Breath Freshening Tips

- Gargle twice daily with strong peppermint tea. Make peppermint tea as you normally would, but leave either the tea bag or loose leaves in to steep for at least 30 minutes. Tea may be stored in the refrigerator in a covered container for up to 3 days.

- Drink 1 cup of peppermint tea immediately following meals. Peppermint helps eliminate mouth odors and acts as a natural digestive, helping to prevent indigestion, gas, and burping.

- If you have access to fresh peppermint leaves, chew on 1 for a few minutes, then spit out or swallow. Your mouth will feel cool, clean, and minty fresh!

- Place 1 drop of peppermint essential oil (no more than this) on your tongue followed by a sip of water. Swish the icy cool liquid around for about 30 seconds, then swallow. Peppermint essential oil produces an amazing fresh chill on your tongue and helps improve digestion when swallowed.

- Keep a little container of fennel seeds, anise seeds, or cardamom seeds in your purse, desk drawer, brief case, gym bag, or back pack. Chew on a few of these flavorful seeds whenever your breath needs freshening. You can swallow them if you wish. All of these seeds also double as carminatives or digestives, encouraging saliva flow and calming the formation of intestinal gas.

- Let's not forget our green friend . . . parsley. This poor lowly plate decoration need not be tossed in the garbage heap along with leftover food. It is loaded with odor-neutralizing chlorophyll plus energizing nutrients such as iron, calcium, magnesium, and anti-oxidants. Next time you're at a restaurant, make sure to munch on that sprig of parsley when you finish your dinner. Your breath and digestion will thank you!


NOTE: This article was written by Stephanie Tourles and some of the information was adapted from her book, Organic Body Care Recipes, Storey Publishing, 2007. The information is true and complete to the best of the author's knowledge. All recommendations are made without guarantee on the part of Ms. Tourles. She disclaims any liability in connection with the use of this information. It is for educational purposes only.

Keep Your Pearly Whites Gleaming - Part 2

As promised, below is a recipe for an easy-to-make natural toothpaste. It is a great alternative to chemical-laden, commercial sweetened toothpaste! It truly freshens your breath plus helps prevent plaque build-up and gum inflammation. This recipe yields approximately 10 applications. All ingredients are available from better health food stores or a "Whole Foods" type market. Enjoy.

Homemade Herbal Toothpaste

4 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon finely ground sea salt
1 teaspoon powdered myrrh
1 teaspoon white cosmetic clay
2 tablespoons vegetable glycerin (adds a sweet taste and smooth texture)
10 drops of one of the following essential oils: orange, tea tree (anti-bacterial & healing), anise, fennel, spearmint, or peppermint. If you want to use cinnamon or clove essential oil, use only 5 drops as these flavors are very strong and may possibly irritate the gums.

Directions: In a small bowl, thoroughly blend all ingredients until a spreadable paste forms. Store in a small jar in either a cool cabinet or on your bathroom countertop. Dip a dry toothbrush into the mixture and brush normally. Use within 6 months or discard.

NOTE: The above article was sourced from the book, "Organic Body Care Recipes", by Stephanie Tourles, Storey Publishing, 2007. This information is true and complete to the best of Ms. Tourles' knowledge. All recommendations are made without guarantee on the part of the author and she disclaims any liability in connection with the use of this information. It is for educational purposes only.

Keep Your Pearly Whites Gleaming - Part I

We're going to talk about natural care of your smile. What do people notice when they first meet you? Your smile, of course. Who wants to be remembered for having yellowy-brown teeth? No one. Everyone wants gleaming white choppers. They simply brighten your face.

Most dentifrices available today contain harsh abrasives, saccharin, sugar, detergents, and/or bleaches. Combine these ingredients with the twice-daily use and misuse of toothbrushes (especially the use of "firm-bristled" toothbrushes) and the result is tooth enamel and gum tissue suffering from extra wear and tear. Additionally, if you frequently use commercial, chemical-based bleaching solutions to whiten your smile, these too, can cause thinning of the enamel and gum sensitivity.

You can make simple, yet effective and pleasant-tasting, natural dentifrices at home that will leave your teeth sparkling, breath fresh, and your gums in the pink. Here are 3 recipes for you to try. I'll give you one of my favorite herbal toothpaste recipes in my next blog.

Step Back Plaque

1. In a small bowl, combine 1 teaspoon of baking soda with 1 drop of essential oil of orange, anise, fennel, spearmint, peppermint, or cinnamon. Dip a wet toothbrush into this mixture and brush your teeth as usual to fight plaque buildup, gently whiten teeth, and neutralize mouth odor.

2. Try strawberries for a whiter smile! Mash a very, very ripe strawberry into a pulp. Dip your toothbrush into the pulpy liquid and brush normally. Strawberries produce a slight bleaching action from the mild fruit acid they contain. Rinse thoroughly after brushing. This procedure can be repeated up to 3x per week.

3. Out on a weekend camping trip and forgot your toothbrish? Never fear . . . simply peel a 3- or 4-inch twig freshly cut from a sweet gum (tupelo), flowering dogwood, sugar maple, or sassafrass tree and chew on the end until it is frayed and soft. Now, gently rub your teeth and gums. The twig can also be dipped in water and baking soda, if you desire.


NOTE: The above article was adapted from the book, "Organic Body Care Recipes", by Stephanie Tourles, Storey Publishing 2007. The information is true and complete to the best of Ms. Tourles' knowledge. All recommendations are made without guarantee on the part of Ms. Tourles. She disclaims any liability in connection with the use of this information. It is for educational purposes only.