If you are looking for more natural ways to take care of your teeth without all the toxic chemicals and plastic waste, there are now many options that, with some research and thought, can transform the way you think about dental care.
From bamboo toothbrushes to sustainable dental floss, natural Toothpaste, powders, and even DIY recipes, taking care of your teeth naturally has never been easier!
Get away from toxic chemicals rife in many oral hygiene products, from toothpaste to mouthwash. You can transform your oral health and wellness with a non-toxic alternative!
10 Natural Oral Care Tips (with Easy DIY Recipes)
For a brighter smile, fresher breath & healthier gums, the natural way!
If you’re trying to glow up your routine from the inside out, your oral care deserves just as much attention as your skincare. These simple, natural tips (plus DIY recipes you can make at home) will leave your mouth feeling clean, balanced, and genuinely healthy.
1. Oil Pulling for Detox and Fresh Breath.
Oil pulling helps reduce bacteria and supports gum health.
DIY Oil Pull Blend:
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 drop peppermint essential oil (optional)
How to use: Swish for 10–15 minutes in the morning, then spit out and rinse.
2. Switch to Natural Toothpaste
Natural toothpastes clean teeth without harsh chemicals.
DIY Natural Toothpaste:
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 tbsp baking soda
- 1 tsp calcium carbonate (optional, for remineralizing)
- 5 drops peppermint or spearmint oil
How to use: Brush as usual, twice daily.
3. Baking Soda Brightening Boost
Baking soda gently lifts stains and neutralizes acids, leaving teeth whiter.
DIY Whitening Paste:
- 1 tsp baking soda
- A few drops of water or lemon juice
How to use: Brush gently 1–2 times a week (not daily).
4. Herbal Mouthwash for Gum Health.
Herbal mouthwashes soothe gums and naturally fight bacteria.
DIY Herbal Rinse:
- 1 cup brewed chamomile tea (cooled)
- 1/2 cup brewed sage tea
- Optional: 2 drops of tea tree oil
How to use: Swish for 30 seconds after brushing.
5. Hydration for Natural Protection.
Saliva protects your teeth and balances bacteria.
DIY Mineral Water Boost:
- 1 litre water
- Pinch of sea salt
- Squeeze of lemon
Sip throughout the day for hydration + minerals.
6. Eat Your Way to Cleaner Teeth.
Crunchy foods help naturally clean your teeth.
Snack Idea:
- Apple slices, carrot sticks, and celery are great snacks for healthier teeth.
- Sprinkle on cinnamon for extra antibacterial benefits!
7. Clove Oil for Tooth Relief.
Clove oil is naturally numbing and antibacterial.
DIY Clove Relief Blend:
- 1 drop clove essential oil
- 1/2 tsp carrier oil (like olive or coconut)
How to use: Dab gently onto the sore area.
8. Upgrade Your Floss
Floss removes hidden plaque between teeth. Make sure to use natural products that are better for the environment.
Natural Tip:
Use silk or biodegradable floss, and add a drop of coconut oil for smoother gliding.
9. Cut Back on Sugar (Try This Instead).
Sugar feeds cavity-causing bacteria, which in turn make these swaps.
DIY Sweet Swap:
- Herbal teas with cinnamon
- Fresh fruit instead of sweets
- Xylitol gum (supports dental health)
10. Saltwater Healing Rinse
Salt water reduces inflammation and supports gum repair.
DIY Salt Rinse:
- 1 cup warm water
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
How to use: Rinse 1–2 times daily, especially if gums feel irritated.
Final Tip
Consistency is everything. You don’t need to do all 10 — even adding 2–3 of these habits can seriously upgrade your oral care routine!
The Best Sustainable Natural Products For Healthy Teeth And Gums!
Most of us don’t always read the ingredient lists on cosmetic, bath, dental, and body care products. For some reason, we assume they are safe because they are sold in stores, but we need to dig a bit deeper to see what we are using and how we can make better choices by understanding the ingredients that might serve us better.
Most of us know of the mess that too much plastic has made in the environment, but it is also difficult to avoid. Choose Toothpaste and powders in glass jars, use an electric toothbrush (changing the head only), and look for natural ingredients with remarkable properties, such as essential oils and clays.
Why Use Bamboo Toothbrushes?
The Bamboo Toothbrush is the most natural, biodegradable, safe, and effective product. These work like any plastic toothbrush, but more importantly, they do not add to the massive plastic waste problem.
Three and a half billion plastic toothbrushes are sold each year, with one billion sold in North America alone. They will stay in landfills for up to 1000 years.
If you want to avoid plastic toothbrushes, consider a bamboo one. Most of us go through three or four toothbrushes a year and toss them out without much thought, but there are some great alternatives to plastic.
What to look for in a Bamboo Toothbrush.
- Bamboo from Sustainable, wild, natural sources.
- Biodegradable bristles.
- Compostable cardboard packaging.
- 100% bio-based manufacture that uses no fossil fuels.
Why Is Bamboo a Sustainable Source for Toothbrushes?
Bamboo is a sustainable, renewable material that can be fully biodegradable.
Bamboo grows abundantly, naturally, and sustainably in the wild across five continents: Africa, Asia, North and South America, and Australia.
It has anti-microbial properties that eliminate the need for pesticides or fertilizers.
Bamboo is the fastest-growing plant on the planet. A stalk can replenish itself in 2 to 3 years without causing damage to the surrounding environment or the plant’s root system.
Harvesting it during this period improves the plants’ health and root systems and helps keep soil erosion in check.
Best Bamboo Toothbrush Brands.
Many Bamboo toothbrushes are on the market; SeaTurtle is 100% biodegradable and uses plant-based bristles from Castor beans.
Look for Natural Bristle Bamboo toothbrushes that use no nylon.
Go with the brushes that appeal to you the most; even those made with nylon bristles are better than plastic toothbrushes. The less plastic in our environment, the better, and planting more Bamboo has a positive impact.
Large-scale planting of bamboo across vast areas could reverse the damaging effects of global warming within a decade.
Now you’ve got the toothbrush sorted. It’s time to look at which toothpaste is better for you. Toothpaste goes into our mouths, and we swallow it, so it is worth sourcing the cleanest possible products.
Every product we use doesn’t just go on our skin; it’s absorbed and flushed down drains into our environment.
What To Look For In A Natural Toothpaste?
Toothpaste has been used in one form or another for centuries in most cultures. Ancient civilizations of the Greeks, Romans, and Egyptians used Toothpaste made from crushing shells, bones, charcoal, salts, bark, seashells, and herbs. These were mainly abrasive to remove food from the teeth.
Modern Toothpaste and powders, as we know them, developed in the nineteenth century. It was common in Britain from the 1800s, made from chalks, soaps, bones, and groundnuts.
Toothpaste became increasingly popular, and Dr. Sheffield, a renowned dentist from New London, developed a collapsible tube that made it easier to use. Today, you can still buy this Toothpaste made with natural ingredients inspired by their original recipes.
While most people use Toothpaste, many natural tooth powders are gaining popularity.
These often use different clays and other natural ingredients to detoxify and polish the teeth. They are very effective, and you can easily make your own with DIY toothpowder recipes.
If you are looking for natural Toothpaste, most supermarkets and drugstores in the USA carry brands such as;
These can all be purchased online if you don’t have access to these products in nearby stores.
Read ingredient lists on the outer packaging and the brands’ mission statements to find the choice that resonates with you.
Natural Toothpaste needs to clean teeth, freshen breath, maintain the health of teeth and gums, and improve appearance by removing plaque and food debris.
Many natural ingredients are very effective without resorting to unknown chemicals. Active ingredients in these kinds of Toothpaste prevent cavities and gum disease, freshen breath, and strengthen teeth.
Ingredients To Look For In Natural Toothpaste.
- Coconut Oil
- Natural sweeteners, stevia, xylitol, erythritol
- Fresh mint
- Aloe Vera
- Clays, Bentonite, white Kaolin, French
- White Turmeric
- Essential Oils: spearmint, peppermint, sage, clove, cinnamon, tea tree, oregano, sage
- Activated Coconut Charcoal
- Baking soda
- Calcium carbonate and magnesium.
Ingredients to avoid in Toothpaste.
- Artificial sweeteners like sorbitol and saccharin.
- Sodium Lauryl Sulfate {SLS}
- Propylene glycol
- Carrageenan
- Triclosan
- Artificial fragrances
- Artificial colors
- Preservatives
Fluoride In Natural Toothpaste.
There is a continuing debate over whether to use fluoride in Toothpaste; is there a risk of using too much, or is it necessary to strengthen teeth?
Whatever your preferences, there doesn’t need to be an all-or-nothing approach. Many natural toothpaste brands offer fluoride-free or fluoride options. Rotate among different brands to balance ingredients.
The Benefits Of Natural Mouthwash.
There are many good reasons to use a natural mouthwash, which, along with daily brushing and flossing, can strengthen the teeth, reduce gum sensitivity, and freshen the breath.
Don’t skip this step; choosing a product with beneficial ingredients helps maintain healthy mouth and gum health. Mouthwash can;
- Freshen breath
- Soothe sensitive areas of the mouth
- Loosen embedded food particles that a brush doesn’t reach.
- Balance PH levels in the mouth
- calm sore throats
While more commercial chemical mouthwashes can be harsh and contain ingredients that aren’t always the best for you, look for natural mouthwashes with a simple ingredient list of active ingredients and essential oils to keep the mouth fresh and healthy.
The Best Natural Mouthwash Brands.
Some great, influential natural mouthwash brands are on the market, often incorporating oils that act as mouthwash and oil-pulling products.
Oil pulling, an ancient, traditional, natural oral care treatment, is rooted in Ayurvedic practices.
Swish sesame, coconut, or organic olive oil around your mouth for up to 20 minutes a few times a week.
Oil pulling helps soothe gums, reduce inflammation, kill excess bacteria, relieve bad breath, and even whiten teeth.
You can easily make a pulling oil; use this oil-pulling recipe for fresher breath and whiter teeth, or try some natural products on the market.
We love products like;
Uncle Harry’s Natural Alkalizing Mineral Mouthwash: Organic formulation for fresher breath and pH-balanced oral care.
GuruNanda Oil Pulling Oil, Natural Mouthwash: Ayurvedic blend of coconut, sesame, sunflower, and peppermint oils for fresh breath and healthy white teeth and gums.
Lucky Teeth: Organic mouthwash whitens and refreshes teeth with food-grade peroxide and essential oils. —Megan and a cruelty-free product in a gorgeous glass jar.
Jason Healthy Mouth Tartar Control Mouthwash: Made with tea tree oil, grapefruit seed extract, perilla seed extract, and aloe vera gel. Cruelty-free and free of gluten, parabens, petrolatum, phthalates, and harsh sulfates.
Swish with a mouthwash after brushing, once or twice daily, depending on the issue. Look at the ingredients to determine what will best fit your needs.
The mouth and gums are sensitive and absorb trace amounts of the product used, so choosing natural ingredients can help heal them, not just mask the odor.
Why You Should Use A Natural Dental Floss?
A major reason to switch to natural dental floss is environmental concerns. Floss can contain nylon and plastic fibers that don’t biodegrade, tangle, or choke wildlife. They also contain chemical ingredients that may have health implications.
IN ONE YEAR ALONE, the USA discards approximately three million miles of dental floss. It ends up in landfills and the ocean, where it can take up to 1000 years to decompose.
Chemicals and toxins also leech from these products, and the floss poses a harmful environmental hazard to many life forms.
Look for products that use biodegradable thread, like silk floss and bamboo charcoal threads, and a container that is not plastic. There are plenty of reusable glass or bamboo containers that are refillable.
ME MOTHER EARTH offers bamboo and charcoal dental floss that uses Candelilla wax and peppermint essential oil, and is 100% biodegradable, breaking down in only 60-90 days. They come in fully recyclable and biodegradable glass or bamboo containers and offer refills.
Wowe uses 100% biodegradable peace silk floss with candelilla wax in a refillable stainless steel container.
Why You Need A Tongue Scraper?
Scraping the tongue of build-up can help relieve bad breath and keep excess bacteria out of the mouth. Tongue scraping originated in Ayurvedic practices for oral hygiene and is a simple step to enhance a natural dental care routine.
Look for eco-friendly products with sustainable packaging in either copper or steel. They can last a lifetime with proper care.
A few simple changes in the types of products used for dental care can significantly reduce the number of potentially harmful chemicals that enter the environment and our bodies.
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