Hey everyone,
I just wanted to begin with a quick update on my coconut hair fiasco. Since applying coconut oil to my hair I have taken 3 showers. The first shower I rinsed my hair several times with apple cider vinegar, the second shower I applied a yogurt, lemon and honey conditioner which didn't seem to help get any of the oil out so I followed that up with a commercial (OMG) conditioner (SLS-free at least) - this might seem counter-intuitive but some articles have suggested that conditioner is more effective than shampoo at removing excess oil. This morning I took a shower and washed my hair with baking soda and rinsed with apple cider vinegar. The result - my hair is still pretty greasy. Therefore, my recommendation to anyone using the no shampoo method is that you do not do a coconut oil hair treatment. Or if you really want to do one, only use a little bit of coconut oil. Not like a handful like I did. I have really thin hair, so if you have long thick gorgeous hair maybe a handful would work.
On to the oral hygiene post. This one is going to be a little bit controversial so reader beware.
Ok. I don't really like my teeth. I don't have any cavities which is great and they are straight thanks to braces, however my teeth are not super white. I guess a rather major problem is that I have had a long term love affair - with chocolate and coffee and I just can't give it up! Anywho, otherwise I think I take pretty awesome care of my teeth. I brush two to three times a day with an electric toothbrush, I floss religiously, I drink lots of water and I rarely drink soft drinks or juice. What's not to love!
So I did a little bit of research and this is what I have found out. In the last 5 days I have switched up my oral hygiene routine and I think my teeth are already looking great.
Fact #1: It is the mechanical action of brushing your teeth that cleans them not toothpaste. In fact, toothpaste has many very abrasive agents that actually wear down your enamel and make your teeth even more prone to tooth decay. Guess what else toothpaste contains: SLS!!!! (Read no shampoo post for further details)
Fact #2: Commercial mouthwash can cause dental erosion and certain studies have shown that alcohol-containing mouthwash has been proven to increase the risk of oral cancer by 5 times.
Fact #3: A simple salt and water rinse will neutralize the acidity in your mouth which contributes to tooth decay. (Side note- I quit veganism because I had heard that vegans often have many more cavities than non-vegans. It turns out this is due to the increased acidity in many fruits which form a larger part of a vegan's diet. If you make sure to brush your teeth and rinse following these meals, these problems should not occur).
Fact #4: Brush your tongue - your tongue is often the source of bad breath.
Fact #5: Brush your gums and floss daily. Flossing may seem unimportant - but not flossing can lead to gingivitis which if left untreated can allow toxins to invade the bones and structures supporting the teeth and cause bone loss, loose teeth and teeth to fall out.
Fact #6: Fluoride helps prevent and actually heal cavities. Fluoride is found in most municipal water supplies but check your city's website to know for sure. There has been a lot of controversy regarding fluoride. A lot of the rich hippy dippy crunchy people like me (minus the rich part) have been urging their city to stop adding fluoride to the water supply (for more info: http://www.fluoridealert.org/50-reasons.htm). For the most part they have been unsuccessful since public health agencies have argued that fluoride is an important tool in preventing tooth decay - especially for the less afluent population. I will do a future post on the best type of water to drink.
Fact #7: It is important for keep your mouth moist. Saliva prevents bacteria from growing.
Fact #8: Sugar is bad mmmk.
Fact #9: It is better to eat 2-3 meals rather than snack all day. Your mouth cleans itself between meals. Also, the former oldest man in the world, Walter Breuning, died a few days ago. One of his secrets to longevity was only eating 2 meals a day. I will do a later post on the link between longevity and calorie restriction. - Something I have yet to attempt.
My new routine:
Well, I have stopped using toothpaste regularly. I have probably quadrupled the amount of time it takes to brush my teeth in the morning though. With toothpaste there was always gobs of it falling all over the place so I think I tried to be speedy so I wouldn't have to put on a new shirt for work or whatever. Now, I carefully polish each angle and side of my teeth like they do when you go to the dentist for a cleaning. I also brush all of my gums as well as my tongue. Without the toothpaste I can actually see my teeth and I am 100% sure I am doing a way better job than I was with all the toothpaste. I am still flossing before bed. I am alternating in the morning and before bed with sea salt and baking soda mouth washes with tap water. I am brushing my teeth using a little bit of toothpaste once every 2 days to make sure my teeth are getting adequate fluoride.
I have read about many people who have completely given up the toothpaste but I am hesitant since my teeth are such an important, expensive and visible body part that I would like to speak with a dentist before going completely au naturel. The problem is I don't know who to trust. If any of my readers have some testimonials regarding toothpaste, I would love to hear what you have to say. I am looking into perhaps purchasing the solar-powered toothbrush (check out link: http://www.treehugger.com/files/2010/08/solar-powered-toothbrush-needs-no-toothpaste.php).
A lot of people have recommended using ash from burnt wood to whiten teeth. I don't have access to this but apparently it is very effective. Many people brush with baking soda or salt. I am just a little worried about this because I don't want to further damage my enamel.
Since I am only at the early stages of this less commercial toothpaste experiment, I don't have any strong words of wisdom. I think for now , I would recommend brushing without toothpaste and then following it up with a little bit (pea sized amount) of toothpaste. I would recommend not snacking all day. I would use a baking soda or salt mouthwash and make sure to brush your teeth immediately after eating something very sugary or acidic. I would also make an effort to consume less soda and sugar including chocolate.
I'll do some more research and post a follow-up article. Any comments in the meantime would be greatly appreciated.
Free yourself!
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