Maintaining a healthy smile is simple and easy as long as you are consistent with your oral health routine every day. Minimising your risk of needing to visit the dentist is something that requires just a few small ingredients and a bit of self-discipline. This guide will help you better understand your own oral health, and allow you to naturally prevent harmful issues such as gum disease with the use of coconut oil, a superfood that is becoming a household staple.
Tartar and Plaque
Plaque and tartar are two names that get mentioned a lot when talking about tooth brushing and oral health, and so it's important to understand what they are before trying to treat them. Plaque itself is actually the bacterial build-up on your teeth which feels slimy and can lead to bad breath. When this bacteria is left to fester, it becomes calcified, turning into a hard yellow substance called tartar. Tartar can be unsightly and needs to be scraped away by a dentist in order for the teeth to be rid of it. If it builds up too much and is left to grow, this can lead to all sorts of problems such as gum disease and gingivitis. These problems usually lead to additional issues like bleeding and receding gums. This bacteria can also penetrate the pockets of flesh and cause bad breath and loose teeth. Fortunately though, it takes a little time for plaque to turn into tartar, and so if you follow the government's brushing recommendations, you'll be fine. However there is a way to minimise your exposure to chemicals and take a more natural approach using coconut oil.
Alternative to Mouthwash and Toothpaste
Coconut oil is something of a wonder food. Not only can it be used for cooking and moisturising your skin, it's also got some fantastic medicinal properties. Because it is an anti-fungal, anti-bacterial and anti-microbial compound, it can be used as an alternative to mouthwash. Coconut oil has a low melting point, which makes it easy to spoon some into your mouth and swish it around. This is called oil swishing and requires you to draw the oil through your teeth to help kill off any bacteria and remove food particles. It might even help to whiten teeth because bacteria themselves can cause yellowing of the enamel. Just combine this with your regular brushing routine and you'll also find that you probably save money, as mouthwash can be quite expensive. You can even combine it with some baking soda to create a thick paste that can be used as an exfoliant to scrape away yet more dirt and discolouring from the teeth.
