“I can thank this recipe for all the cavities I had when I was a kid. My parents kept me on a strict no-sugar diet, and made sure I brushed my teeth every day with this same home-made toothpaste (I wasn’t allowed regular toothpaste as a child, just this homemade stuff). I had TONS of cavities growing up. Then, when I was a teenager, I finally got to switch to REAL toothpaste, the kind with fluoride in it, and the cavities tapered off and I stopped getting so many (even though I started eating things with sugar in them!)

Seriously folks, the lack of fluoride really is bad for your teeth. :/”

First of all, before our family decided to go the toxic-free route, our daughter was brought up on Colgate (WITH flouride). She had so many cavities in her baby teeth she had to get caps put on most of them. My spouse was also raised on traditional chemical filled toothpastes (WITH flouride) and had to have 25 – yes, you are reading this correct – 25 cavities filled about 5 years ago. All while using toothpaste with flouride.

Now that we have adopted the toxic-free (including flouride-free) lifestyle, guess what? No more cavities!!! No one in my family, including my daughter and spouse has had cavities in over 5 years. Go figure.

So to say just because you didn’t use flouride caused you cavities and when you started using flouride they stopped has no basis. Because we got cavites USING flouride and STOPPED getting them when we didn’t use flouride. Everyone and everyone’s eating habits, brushing habits, genetics, dental care are different. You can’t lu

Dental health is more than just the toothpaste you use. There is evidence that heredity plays a big part in getting cavities. A good, healthy, low-sugar diet (includeing cokes, soft drinks, etc), along with regular flossing and dental visits will help keep cavities at bay.

You rock Matt!

First, fluoride is one of the most toxic substances on earth, on par with arsenic and lead. It has no proven biological use inside the human body (teeth included). There is no minimum daily requirement for fluoride. And second, it is a cumulative poison. Only about half of what we consume is excreted.

The other half collects in the teeth and bones, making them dense, but brittle. Those little white spots visible on the teeth of many children are called dental fluorosis, a condition which not only predisposes them to decay, but also provides a sign that systemic fluoride poisoning is taking place. Dental fluorosis appears to serve as a red flag for future bone fractures as well.

The neurotoxic nature of fluoride is also linked to motor dysfunction, IQ deficits and learning disabilities. In the year 2000, a group of Boston physicians concluded:

“Studies in animals and human populations suggest that fluoride exposure, at levels that are experienced by a significant proportion of the population whose drinking water is fluoridated, may have adverse impacts on the developing brain.”

I could go on and on and on. Just google “dangers of flouride”. I don’t want to distract from Matt’s great posting for the homemade recipe, but wanted to give additional information to those who are concerned about it not containing flouride.

Thanks for the great site!!!

Floride worked great on teeth, back in the early 1900’s when people where malnurished. That is the basis on which all the “floride is good for your teeth” stuff comes from. Dentists still believe it because that is what they are told in school.

I do think that using straight baking soda could be a bit too abrasive though. Maybe it could be mixed with coconut oil or something? Hmmm…

What you said in your comment totally embodies the spirit of making homemade products! So many people just plain do not understand it… because they have never chose to focus on all the other benefits. Rather than see the joy and harmony it creates in the home they seem to only focus on how it will “only save a few dollars.” Even if it was only saving money… isn’t that enough? But it delivers so much more.

It is nice to hear from someone else who can see what I see.

http://moneysavingmommies.blogspot.com/2009/07/olive-oil.html
.-= Amy´s last blog ..Another Homemade Deodorant Recipe =-.

For shaving I use a bar of homemade soap (we don’t make our own… yet) but my wife still uses shaving cream.

A lot of people who make homemade shaving cream go WAY overboard w/the project… taking way too much time & using way too many uncommon ingredients.

I always prefer quick and simple! Some simple alternatives for shaving cream include: soap, shampoo, conditioner, lotion, and baby oil.

I too use Hydrogen Peroxide for mouthwash… and it whitens along with the baking soda toothpaste. This system works so well and costs a fraction of what store bought toothpaste, mouthwash, and whitening systems cost!

Thanks Heather… cheers.