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Dental Work and Holidays: A Guide for Travellers


About Me

Dental Work and Holidays: A Guide for Travellers

Just because you go on holiday, doesn't mean that the bacteria on your mouth does. Hi! My name is Mandi, and as a lover of travelling, I have taken a lot of trips. Unfortunately, I have also had the misfortune to suffer from dental issues on those trips. This blog focuses on everything related to travelling and dental work. I plan to have posts on picking the right travel insurance for your teeth, dealing with a broken tooth when abroad, dental tourism and more. I hope that you find the information that you need and that your next holiday goes well. Now, let's smile together from wherever we are in the world! Happy travels!

Do I Really Need Fluoride? Exploring Natural Alternatives for Your Oral Health

Fluoride is present in both toothpastes and water, and there are certainly links that show it is great for oral health. However, it's a neurotoxin and there are reports that suggest it can be bad for the nervous system. If you're looking for natural alternatives to fluoride, you have come to the right place. Here are four alternatives to try.

Pull Coconut Oil Around Your Mouth

Coconut oil is a popular option for cooking, but it also has oral health benefits. It is both an antifungal and antibacterial ingredient, so it will help to protect the gums and mouth. It's a natural fluoride treatment when used for oil pulling.

Oil pulling is the process of swishing oil around your mouth for up to 20 minutes. The oil gets in between the teeth and right into the gums, cheeks, and tongue to coax the bacteria out of the mouth. As you spit the oil out, the bacteria will follow with it.

You can also use other oils in place of fluoride. Oregano and almond oil are popular, but not as effective as coconut oil.

Gargle Sea Salt on a Daily Basis

Sea salt has been used for centuries for fighting infections and killing bacteria. It's one of those natural toothpaste options that will allow you to avoid all fluoride if you want, and is completely natural without any side effects when used in small amounts.

Gargling sea salt and swishing it around your mouth will help to kill bacteria, so you don't have to deal with gum disease or bad breath. You can also put it on the toothbrush and use it as a natural toothpaste. Salt is recommended for post-mouth-surgery treatment by dentists, so it must be highly effective.

Look Out for Myrrh-Based Toothpastes

There are a small amount of toothpastes that now use myrrh as the active ingredient, rather than using fluoride. This is due to the biblical ingredient not having any negative side effects to a healthy body. The only things it will affect are the bad compounds in your body.

Myrrh is antibacterial in nature, so, like the salt, it will kill off the bacteria that build in your mouth. You can use it directly on your toothbrush as a toothpaste or add it to some water and gargle it.

Choose Clay-Based Products for Your Mouth

Like myrrh, there are now some toothpastes that are clay-based instead. This sounds strange, but clay actually helps to brighten the smile while cleaning the teeth. Toothpastes made with clay are available for adults and children. You can also buy the powder form to create your own toothpaste.

If you don't fancy putting the clay directly onto your teeth, gargling is an option. However, it is not as effective as the three other fluoride alternatives above.

There are fluoride alternatives available to keep the mouth clean and protected. Coconut oil and salt have been used for centuries in herbal medicine, but you could also opt for myrrh or clay. Talk to your dentist for more advice.