Quoted from pkarmeier

Kinda confused - don't brush w/ baking soda or salt, but it's ok to brush w/ baking soda/ peroxide combo?  There's baking soda either way, so how is one ok and not the other? Does the peroxide negate the harshness of the baking soda?  

Hi Italybound,

Our dentist said to brush our gums only with a solution of baking soda and hydrogen peroxide--just the gums not the teeth. He said it was very beneficial for the gums only and he didn't know why. I only do it rarely. Please excuse the confusion.

I confess that I abhored the taste of green tea and it didn't take much to turn my back on it. The taste must have really disagreed with me because my children always tease me by saying that I will eat anything if I think it's good for me no matter what it tastes like.

Margaret

Thanks for the explanation Margaret.
I confess too, that the taste of green tea is not my fav. I have in the past been very guilty of letting it steep too long. Trying to stop that. Also the brand makes a big dif. I had some white tea from Republic of Tea I think, and bought a dif brand when I ran out of that. Huge dif in taste. Will only be buying the ROT from now on. I will continue to drink the green tea solely because it's so good for me. Hmmmmm, maybe I should mix my ghee in w/ it, like Victoria (I think it is) does w/ the cocoa drink. Wonder how that would work.  

Hi Italybound!  

A couple of thoughts . .
Regarding the baking soda, I don't personally experience it as abrasive, even though my previous post indicated that it might be in its dry form.  I was trying to speculate about why some dentists may say to use it and others say to be careful with it.  I have had dentists tell me to avoid brushing with salt because of the extreme abrasiveness of it, but they recommend it highly for rinsing and gargling as an anti-inflammatory and germ killer, diluted in warm water.  So that's how I use the salt, after I brush my teeth, and I always gargle with it at least once a day.

It was my dentist who strongly encouraged me to start brushing with baking soda because of my tendency to have irritated gums.  The baking soda is very alkaline and bacteria are not happy in that environment.  I have been greatly pleased with the results.  My gums have become very toned and healthy, and the side effect is that it removes stains from the teeth.  It is not a tooth bleach, so it doesn't make them a lighter shade, but it does remove new stains, and helps maintain whatever color they are at their best.

I dip the bristles of my toothbrush in baking soda and then drop on a couple of drops of my tooth soap (Sacred Soap).  That's my very favorite "toothpaste".

And remember, to really clean the mouth and promote health,  clean the entire inside of the mouth, and not just the teeth.  You don't need special tools.  Just scrub the tongue gently with your toothbrush, using back to front movements.  Gently brush the roof of the mouth and the inside of the cheeks.  And after brushing the teeth, clean the gums by stroking from the root of the gums toward the teeth, not back and forth.

Quoted from Victoria

 The baking soda is very alkaline and bacteria are not happy in that environment. It is not a tooth bleach, so it doesn't make them a lighter shade, but it does remove new stains, and helps maintain whatever color they are at their best.
I dip the bristles of my toothbrush in baking soda and then drop on a couple of drops of my tooth soap

I really like this thought of the baking soda being very alkaline and bacteria not being happy in that environment.  As I don't find it abrasive, I will continue to use it. I use it as you do, with my liquid tooth soap and then I rinse really really well. I'm really wishing I could make a liar out'a'ya   about it not being a tooth bleach because my teeth have been yellowed for my whole life that I can remember. Not extremely horrible, but I hate it. I've even had Zoom done and nothing. I'm assuming I was given Erythrimycin as a child. If I can just remove addt'l stains, guess I'll be happy w/ that until I can get veneers.  

Well, maybe we will find that it is a slow bleach.  I did do a check after reading your post, and as I look at my teeth after using baking soda daily for about a month, I do think that they are a tiny bit whiter.  So lets' persist.  It's slower than bleach, but very wholesome!  

Quoted from Victoria

Well, maybe we will find that it is a slow bleach.  I did do a check after reading your post, and as I look at my teeth after using baking soda daily for about a month, I do think that they are a tiny bit whiter.  So lets' persist.  It's slower than bleach, but very wholesome!  

I'm with ya all the way Victoria. I hope this is one time you wouldn't mind being called a liar.  

Hey.

Strawberries are supposed to work too. I haven't tried it, and the strawberries here are too expensive at the time of year.

Cut them in half and brush your teeth with them. Rinse with water after a few minutes. Never tried it, but it popped out of cloudy misty memmories when I browsed this thread.

Post back if anyone tries this out.


Lasse
Jutland

One thing I have found that whitens teeth is becoming less toxic...  

As I have eliminated allergies and eaten more BTD compliantly, my teeth have lightened several shades...  I have a filling that was color matched to my teeth about 20 years ago.  For a while, it was lighter than the surrounding teeth, but now it is the darkest part of the teeth!!!  

I have been using a small amount of baking soda for some time now.  I don't want to deal with the chemicals & artificial sweetners in commercial toothpaste & am cheap enough not to buy health food paste if I feel b/s is just as good!
I don't feel it is too abrasive.  BTW, there is a lot of advertising by dentists for teeth whitening.  I don't like that, as I know that teeth will get dingy again.  I suspect that the whitening is bad for the enamel.
Even tho tea may stain the teeth, that may be a trade-off for good health for some of you.  I don't drink most teas as I am so sensitive to caffeine.  Otherwise, I would probably be struggling with stained teeth, also!
S S & L,
Mrs "T"     O+