After your baby teeth roll out, the older guys that replace them are the ones you’re stuck with. Whether it’s wooing a partner with a charming grin, or simply chowing down on some yummy grub, the calcite peaks lining your mouth help you accomplish your most basic tasks. So protect yo’ teeth before you wreck your teeth. You want your teeth behaving like a professor on tenure: around for the long haul.

Here’s a couple tips on how to protect your pearly whites, the natural way:
The most important and, perhaps, most obvious thing is that you have to brush your teeth twice a day (flossing is also recommended y’all). Try not to brush too aggressively—I feel like many people do this because they think they’re getting a deeper clean. In fact, they’re actually tearing away at their gums and wearing away at their enamel. Small circular movements are the way to go when it comes to your boney biters. Oh, and, if you’re constantly consuming sugar, then yes, you WILL get cavities.

1. Water

Drink water like you left your mouth open at the base of Angel Falls. What I am saying is that you should drink tons of water, all day long. This is such an easy, FREE, available way to keep teeth healthy. Regular rinses of your mouth remove leftover food particles and stimulate saliva production, meaning no dry mouth.

2. Crunch time

Eat an apple or a cucumber or a carrot—the louder they crunch, the cleaner the tooth. Apples, in particular, have been found to aid in cleansing and brightening teeth. Due to their mildly acidic nature, they act as a mild astringent on the teeth. Another bonus is that munching on apples in between meals prevents all day snacking. Clean teeth plus yummy taste = smile on your face.

3. The right brush

Get yourself a good green tooth brush. Think about the plastic piling up from all the toothbrushes people throw away. Dentists recommend that you should change your tooth brush every three months—that’s a lot of plastic waste in one life time. A better solution seems to be to find a green option. For instance, the sustainable tooth brush from hydrophil. The handle is made from fast growing bamboo and the soft bristles are made out of nylon. When you’re done, you can simply break off the top and throw the base in the trash with the compost.

4. Green tea

Green tea—my all time favorite bevvie! I basically run on this stuff, ask anyone around the office. Turns out, using a couple cup-fulls of this antioxidant-packed tea as a post-meal apertif inhibits the growth of bacteria as a result of it’s polyphenol compounds.

5. Oil pulling

You’ve probably recently heard about this trendy practice—oil pulling. While, it may be fresh on everyone’s lips (literally) right now, it is anything but new. Stemming from an ancient Ayurvedic practice, this practice is said to brighten teeth, decrease sensitivity, rectify bad breath, and prevent the growth of bad bacteria. All you have to do is swish vegetable oil (for me there is none other than the wonderful coconut oil) for 20 minutes and then spit it out. I got in the habit of doing this while watching a series, so that it’s not too boring.

6. Pick the paste

Find the right toothpaste for you. There’s a lot of controversy surrounding fluoride, but I wasn’t able to find any convincing evidence that it is dangerous to one’s health (unless consumed in dramatically large quantities). So go with or without, but I think finding a tooth paste option from your local bio shop or from right here at Amazingy is your safest bet. Children should be monitored around toothpaste containing fluoride, because if they have more than about a pea-sized amount while brushing, they’re at risk for fluorosis. You can save yourself the worry by getting them Jack ‘n’ Jill toothpaste—it’s safe and they’ll love it.

7. Aloe Vera

If your gums are feeling inflamed, dab a small amount of natural aloe vera on the irritated area. Aloe vera is obviously known for it’s healing properties and this extends to the dental region as well. On top of soothing inflammation, it also works as a powerful antiseptic in the pockets where a toothbrush can’t really reach.

8. Mouthwash

The toxic burn of commercial mouthwash is enough to make your eyes water. That stuff is dangerous when accidentally swallowed and the unnaturally neon color alone screams “stay away”! You can make your own quite easily, but if you’re too lazy for that, you can simply pick up the new healthy and fresh option from hydrophil.

9. A shiny red lip

I’ll end on a beauty-related note: this isn’t really a tooth health tip per say, but it is a little pro tip that I think you will all appreciate. If you wear lip gloss instead of matte lipstick, the shininess will reflect the light, making your teeth look brighter. If you wear a bold red lip (with blue undertones), the contrast will make the white in your teeth look whiter.

A clean, bright smile never goes out of style and, with the proper care, you’ll never be without one. A yellow, stained smile is enough to make even the most vibrant among us look haggard. So keep on a brushin’ and you’ll grow old with a grin that can light up a room.

Have any dental health knowledge you’d like to share? Any natural tips and tricks you do?

Let me know in the comments below.

Enjoyed reading this article? Sign up here for our newsletter and get updates, sustainable health & beauty tips, and special offers from our shop – dropped right into your inbox!