Homemade Toothpaste Because I'm Getting Cavities!

No, I don't think my store-bought toothpaste has given me cavities. I blame that completely on evening junk food binge eating. Which by the way, I shouldn't be doing anyway. York peppermint patties are definitely my favorite. Mmmmm... But moving on...

My dh told me that there's no way to get rid of cavities. He told me to make an appointment with the dentist. The dentist that doesn't have the proper equipment to take comfortable x-rays; the dentist that misreads the x-rays and wants to fill a tooth that doesn't have a cavity; the dentist that can't communicate with each other and gives an amalgam filling when a composite is requested- twice. No. I will not. Well, if I am to the point where I cannot fix it myself because the tooth is rotting away and stabbing shooting nerve pain is incapacitating me...well, then I'll consider it. 

My first step was cut out all sugar. ALL sugar- including honey. I don't eat foods that have sugar in the ingredients. I rarely eat processed foods anyway so I know what's in my food. I'm even considering cutting fruit since I don't eat it very much anyway. I do eat berries with cottage cheese (both have 'sugar') occasionally though so I'm still on the fence about my berries. And I'm working on getting some more calcium in my diet. I don't eat dairy very much {love cheese! but it doesn't love me} but I think I'll withstand a rumbly tummy in exchange for some tooth strengthening calcium. I'm also adding dolomite powder in my oatmeal. Next I made my own toothpaste.

I don't have anything against store-bought. We've used it for years, and we aren't picky. Perhaps that's part of the problem. I did have a toothpaste once that was to strengthen the enamel on my teeth {one dentist seemed to think I had overly acidic saliva- ew} but it caused my teeth to yellow. I'd heard about an at-home tooth whitening routine that just used peroxide and tried it for one whole week {uh, well, kind of sporadically that week}. I'm really not sure of its benefits. I've also done oil pulling...for maybe a week. I have commitment issues apparently. 

Next...homemade toothpaste. I've made it before and just ran out less than a month ago and have been using store-bought paste. {I'm sure it's coincidental that my cavities have shown up and I've been using store-bought toothpaste since I started eating those yummy York patties night after night, and a few during the day.} I don't recall where I found the original recipe but it can be Googled {or better yet, use Swagbucks and get bucks for searching} and there's many a recipe to be had. Here's mine {and I just have this nagging feeling that I'v shared it before but can't find it!}:

1/2 TBS coconut oil

1/2 TBS olive oil

1/2 tsp vitamin E

1 TBS baking soda

1 TBS calcium magnesium powder (dolomite) 

1/2 to 1 tsp salt

stevia to 'taste'

I just mix all ingredients together really well in a small container with a lid. Honestly, the measures here are for your benefit; I don't really measure. I guess. I would love to have some essential oils to put in it to make it taste better but I've not had any yet. The recipe I found also had added minerals, which some day I may add as well. 

When I go to brush my teeth, I do have to dip my brush in the paste. I'd prefer to be able to glop it on like a store-bought tube, but eh, it'll work!

And as for dh's comment that I can't get rid of cavities- I've already seen an improvement in one. It is ... less. Works for me! 

**Disclaimer: I have no idea if it is possible to reverse cavities or not. I am not afraid of the dentist but in general prefer to not go to doctors, especially since our family's personal doctors will prescribe man-made drugs before even considering alternatives. I am not advocating not going to the dentist. I'm just not going. And in case you didn't already know, I am not a doctor nor do I have adequate knowledge in the area of medicine or dentistry for you to take anything I say as medical advice. There, I feel better.**