Natura dental care: a healthier way to clean teeth

My teeth are actually really good, I'm in my late thirties and I don't have any cavities or existing fillings. However my gums are troublesome, and I don't want to end up with gum disease so I'm taking steps to prevent this and stop/heal the current problems that I have.

I also tend to grind my teeth at night, especially when I am under stress during the day. Since last year I wear a teeth guard for that, but it seems the first one is now at its last legs: I've ground a hole in it on one side already!

I have been using natural toothpastes for quite some time now. I think I started using a brand called Parodontax years ago. I was having problems with my gums, and needed a good toothpaste. My dentist at the time recommended it. At first its salty taste horrified me, and I could just about keep myself from being sick. I persisted however, and grew to love this toothpaste. It is mainly salt and herbal extracts and minerals but one thing that I don't like in there is glycerin. Glycerin prevents your teeth from remineralising naturally.
So about a year ago I ditched my Parodontax and went on the search for a glycerin free, fluoride free natural toothpaste.
I made a few myself, but have found buying one to be a bit more convenient and they certainly taste better than homemade tooth powder!

So here's for my dental routine:

I tend to floss when I think about doing it, which is about twice a week. I know, I should do it every day! I also own a Waterpik and tend to do that a couple of times a week with a salt water solution. I dissolve natural seasalt in water and use that in the container instead of just regular water. It is said to be better that way. As I don't do this often enough, I can't really tell you whether it is better!

I brush my teeth with activated charcoal powder once a week, to get stains off and for a deep cleanse. It sounds horrible, looks quite awful, but it works wonders!

I also like oil pulling, and use coconut oil for this. I used to do this every day, but I now only do it in the morning and evening when I notice I'm coming down with something. It tends to stop colds in its tracks for me.

I use a sonic toothbrush, but I've read somewhere that they aren't that great for people with sensitive gums (me) so I'm looking in to using the Bass toothbrushes and brushing technique. I've ordered the Heal thy Mouth set from OraWellness to see if this is as great as everybody keeps telling me. More on that once I've got this and have started using it for a bit.
I brush my teeth in the morning and evening and scrape my tongue too, to get rid of lingering bacteria that can cause tartar and cavities.

Right now, I use the Lavera Basis Sensitiv toothpaste, and I love it. Nothing funny in there and no glycerin or fluoride either!

Next week, I'll talk about self tanners and sunscreen...

And I'm going to post a recipe for summery stuffed peppers.

xxx C.