The Three Essential Steps to Healthy, At Home, Eco-Friendly Dental Wellness

STEP 1: Choose Natural, Eco-Friendly Oral Hygiene Products
Growing evidence supports the idea that what goes in your mouth stays in your body, even after you brush and swish. Your mouth and gums absorb ingredients, and act as an entry point into your system. As a result, your choice of oral products is as important as the food you eat, what you put on your skin, and all the other products you choose for a healthy home environment. Small changes made to our daily habits can really add up. Some examples of natural and eco-conscious oral care products:

Toothbrushes Preserve toothbrushesTM are made from 100% recycled plastics, (Stoneyfield Farms yogurt cups) in handle and the toothbrush and packaging are completely recyclable with their postage-paid mailer. Radius Source toothbrushesTM hav a detachable head and a handle made from recycled dollar bills, recycled flax, and recycled wood.

Dental Floss

EcoDent FlossTM – their ingredients, which are found in nature, are used to coat the floss. Their floss, as the other natural flosses listed here, is free of harmful chemicals such as polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). Radius Source FlossTM spun with natural beeswax not eco-unfriendly chemicals including synthetic wax, which can be petroleum-derived. Dessert Essences FlossTM- is naturally waxed (no animal ingredients either). The floss is saturated with 100 percent pure Australian tea tree oil, which has natural antiseptic properties. BrytonPick Reusable FlossTM DenTek Natural Floss PickTM – the first sustainable, 100% biodegradable/recyclable floss pick on the market. The handle is made of a resin from sustainable, renewable resources like tapioca, potatoes, and wheat grown right here in America’s Midwest. This bioresin is just as durable as petroleum-based plastic, but will decompose in less than 180 days in commercial composting facilities.

Toothpaste

Tom’s of Maine Natural ToothpastesTM, Adult and Children Formulations – these products do not contain triclosan; saccharin; artificial sweeteners, preservatives, colors, or flavors; or animal ingredients. They are tested without the use of animals. They have a refreshing natural flavor from real wintergreen and peppermint oils, not artificial sweeteners like saccharin. Some preparations are fluoride free and others contain only naturally sourced fluoride and zinc citrate, a naturally occurring mineral, which interferes with the calcification of plaque into tartar. The Natural Dentist ToothpastesTM, Adult and Children Formulations – these products do not contain any artificial dyes or flavors. Mainstream products use artificial additives such as Blue #1, Yellow #5 and other FD&C colorants. The Natural Dentist uses vegetable juices such as red cabbage, purple carrot, beet, tomato and annatto. The company does not contribute to the manufacture of artificial ingredients, therefore, they are not introduced into the ground water or water treatment systems when consumers use their products. Their toothpastes are made without Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS is a foaming detergent that can irritate your mouth and has been linked to canker sores) Instead they use a natural coconut based oil as an effective surfactant. Their products are sold without a cardboard box – an important “green” step that reduces excess packaging. While eliminating a box may seem small, consider that one billion tubes of toothpaste in boxes are sold each year, contributing more than 28 million pounds of packaging to the waste stream. The environmental effect is more than the trees that are saved by eliminating the cardboard box — it’s also the energy to manufacture, print and transport the excess packaging. EcoDent Natural ToothpastesTM

Mouth Rinses

The Natural Dentist Mouth RinsesTM- have no petroleum byproducts. Virtually every natural mouthwash uses a non-renewable, petroleum-based surfactant that keeps extracts and flavor oils suspended together in a water base. In an industry breakthrough, The Natural Dentist has switched to a natural emulsifier, Olivamidopropyl Betaine, sourced from olives. All the surfactants and emulsifiers they use are plant-based. In addition, all of The Natural Dentist mouth rinses come in recyclable plastic bottles (#1 PETE). EcoDent Daily Care Mouth RinseTM – is an alcohol-free all natural rinse based on a blend of fourteen essential oils, fortified with Echinacea, goldenseal, CoQ10 and baking soda. DenTek Breath Remedy Mouth RinseTM

STEP 2: Reduce Water Waste And Your Carbon Footprint During Oral Hygiene Practices
Did you know the average person wastes at least 90 glasses of water every day by leaving the tap running while they brush their teeth? That means in the United States alone, we’re literally pouring down the drain 27 billion glasses of clean, drinkable water every day, just brushing our teeth. In addition to just water waste, when you crunch the numbers – the carbon footprint involved in processing and distributing that quantity of tap water translates to about 4,200 tons of CO2 per day, which is an astounding 1,553,000 tons of CO2 emissions annually just in the U.S.! The simple solution – turn off your faucet.

STEP 3: Seek Out An Eco-Friendly Dentist, Who Embraces A Holistic Approach To Oral Wellness And Takes It To The Next Level – Overall Planetary Health.
Your “green” home dental care routine (brushing, flossing, rinsing), works in conjunction with a customized dental program to provide you with the necessary professional cleanings, annually screenings for oral cancer, and prevention and treatment of decay and disease – but accomplished in an eco-friendly way. A dentist is an essential extension to your at-home overall oral health and wellness. So find a dental practice that is authentically “green” and that you love. Dentistry is a healing profession. It’s important to have a satisfying relationship with your dental wellness team, and to know they share your values for wellness of people and planet. For Chicagoans, ORA Dental StudioTM is exactly such a place, and actually is the first and only green group dental practice in the nation! It is a healing facility that was not only designed from the ground up as a sustainable green project, but also to comprehensively deliver green healthcare. For more information about this unique and earth-loving dental practice, visit www.oradentalstudio.com, call 312-328-9000, or visit them in person at 1827 South Michigan Avenue Chicago, IL 60616.

Related Natural Dentist Videos

AmericasHolisticDentist.com Dr. Marvin, San Diego Holistic Dentist, discusses holistic dentistry and how it can improve whole-body wellness. Holistic dentistry – also called biological or natural dentistry – combines science-based dental practices with an awareness for overall wellness.
Video Rating: 0 / 5