Nobody wants to look at a picture of themselves and see a whole lot of yellowing their smile. At the same time, harsh whitening strips can irritate the gums and teeth, especially if you are more sensitive to those strips. You don’t have to carefully place whitening strips on your teeth now that you have this homemade toothpaste recipe that helps to whiten teeth. It contains activated charcoal, which is mildly abrasive and helps get you a brighter smile. 

Avoid Harsh Teeth Whitening

If you want a gorgeous smile that’ll stand the test of time in family photos, chemical whiteners may not be your best bet. According to research, chemical whitening strips may cause gum irritation, tooth sensitivity, or permanent enamel damage. What’s even more interesting is that scientists don’t quite know how these strips work exactly, or the effects they have in the long run. 

At-home whitening treatments tend to contain hydrogen peroxide, which helps remove stains or general discoloration. Hydrogen peroxide can be beneficial in certain situations, but it may not be the best ingredient for oral care. Hydrogen peroxide bleaching agents damage dentin, the tooth layer underneath enamel. If you have weaker teeth, you have a greater risk of developing tooth decay. Even though you see a product in stores, that doesn’t mean it is good for your health. 

Whitening Teeth The Natural Way

There are many excellent toothpaste recipes that contain natural ingredients. Some companies offer great options in stores, but they can be quite expensive. If you are on a homemade kick and want to add more DIY recipes to your collection, this toothpaste is a great option. This whitening toothpaste contains beneficial ingredients and stays the same consistency at any temperature. The reason for that is because this recipe does not contain coconut oil, a popular ingredient in DIY oral care recipes. It contains MCT oil, which is derived from coconut oil, but stays liquid at different temperatures. 

This natural toothpaste is not as sweet as the conventional toothpastes you’re familiar with, nor does it foam. It doesn’t contain baking soda, so it won’t be salty like other natural options. This recipe contains a small amount of essential oils for flavoring. 

Essential Oils In Toothpaste

For the record, not every essential oil is safe to put in your mouth. Some are safe for adults and not for children. The quantity of the oil(s) you choose also plays a role. Cinnamon or peppermint essential oils are irritating and you should use these options sparingly, especially when compared to orange essential oil. Essential oils are completely optional for this homemade whitening toothpaste, but they can make it taste better. You may want to use grapefruit or lemon essential oil. 

Before we get to the recipe, we must discuss activated charcoal. It is a great ingredient for whitening teeth because it helps remove surface stains. Incorporating it into a recipe is much better for your teeth because it isn’t as harsh as using it with water alone. Activated charcoal also helps to improve the pH level of your mouth, making it more alkaline to protect against cavities and gingivitis. 

Homemade Natural Whitening Toothpaste

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup calcium carbonate powder
• 3 tablespoons xylitol powder
• 1/4 cup MCT oil
• 2 teaspoons activated charcoal powder
• 20 drops essential oil of choice (optional and see above information)

Instructions:

• Before you begin, make sure that the xylitol powder is finely ground and not coarse. If necessary, add it to a coffee grinder and blitz until very fine. 
• Add all of the ingredients to a small bowl and whisk to combine. Transfer the mixture to a glass jar or squeeze tube and use as needed when you brush your teeth. 
• Store in a cool area and do not allow water to get into the jar or tube of toothpaste. 

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Getting punched in the face isn’t fun. Especially when a tooth gets knocked out! Learn the science behind fallen teeth and how to potentially save your teeth!

Chapters:
0:00 Intro
0:43 Your tooth can go back in if it gets knocked out?
2:09 What will damage a knocked out tooth?
3:05 What should you put your tooth in if it’s been knocked out?
4:10 Outro

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This spinach, banana, and almond butter smoothie tastes like it was made for a superhero. Although it doesn’t give you the ability to fly or superman-like strength, it does supercharge your body with healthy fats, protein, fiber, and more. Spinach, although it colors the smoothie green, takes a back seat to the sweetness of the banana and nuttiness of the almond butter. There’s no way to be sure, but legend has it that your taste buds do a little dance after every slurp because the smoothie is that tasty! The almond butter really adds that extra oomph of flavor, so much so that you’ll be slurping it down faster than you can say “superfood.”

Where do we begin in regards to the health benefits? This smoothie is like a professional shot to the liver, but in the best way possible. Spinach is full of iron and fiber, which works to keep you satiated and fuller for longer. Bananas offer a lot of a potassium, which not only works to keep sodium levels down, but also aids muscle recovery. The almond butter is an excellent source of protein and healthy fats, not to mention nutty goodness. When you add all of those ingredients together, even though it isn’t the longest list of ingredients, you end up with a tasty, nutritious smoothie. One glass may even have you feeling like Popeye! Just be sure to brush your teeth after because you don’t want to walk around with spinach in your teeth all day.

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Usually the two bottom middle teeth are the first ones to erupt. But did you know that baby tooth buds start to form at just 5 weeks into pregnancy?!

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Pay attention to your teeth! They tell a lot. If your mouth feels like it’s on fire, it may be burning mouth syndrome (BMS). BMS is caused by nerve damage in the mouth, and can happen when you have diabetes because the blood sugar levels that can affect the nerves in the mouth.

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Now, more than ever, there is a huge obsession with strength training. It is a great way to increase muscle strength, but that doesn’t mean you should obsess over strength and strength alone. Cardiovascular training and stretching are two other integral pillars of exercise, but one that is not typically discussed is mental training. You see, the brain is just like any other muscle, and training it will help it perform optimally.

You’ve heard of aerobics, but what about “neurobics?” Essentially aerobics for your neurons, neurobics is a method of brain training to increase brain capacity and improve memory. One author, Jim Kiwk, explains that if you don’t use your brain, you’ll lose it. Kiwk also states that there are easy ways to challenge your brain, and they don’t take too much time. Accelerate your learning capacity and enhance your brain with the following exercises. 

Use Your Opposite Hand

Although some people are ambidextrous, most people tend to stick with their dominant hand for everyday tasks. Try to use your non-dominant hand to do simple tasks, such as brushing your teeth or eating, to activate a different part of the brain. You don’t have to think when you use your dominant hand because most things are muscle memory. If you switch things up to use your non-dominant hand, you have to use more brain power. Additionally, using your non-dominant hand forces you to be present. You direct your full focus on the activity or task at hand, so you know you are not distracted by anything else. 

Turn Off Your GPS

There is no doubt that technology makes many things convenient, so much so that you don’t have to think about some things. Therein lies the problem! You want to flex your mental muscles from time to time, so Kiwk encourages you to refrain from looking up your destination on your device. Rely on your memory to get you where you need to go, provided you have a few extra minutes to recall mental directions and the destination is familiar. People lack confidence because they lack mental competence. You are capable of so much and probably know your way around better than you realize you do. Make the effort and use your brain, even if that means that your route ends up being a little longer. 

Make Passive Activities Active

You have the ability to make any activity more mindful, even something as simple as watching TV. How often do you sit down to watch a show or movie and end up scrolling through social media or playing Candy Crush 10 minutes into your show/movie? You don’t have to mindlessly watch the movie just because you put your phone down, though. Envision yourself as a certain character from what you are watching. What would you do if you were in their situation and what can you learn from the character’s arc or journey? You can also practice this skill with other forms of entertainment. It may actually help you improve empathy and your ability to switch positions or characters in a narrative. 

The takeaway from all this is that exercising your brain is much easier than you think it is. All you have to do is make small changes in everyday activities to make a positive impact on your cognition and memory. Practice some neurobics and you’ll feel stronger every time you do them!

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Whether you are young or old, it’s easy to get into the Halloween spirit. It is fun and exciting to dress up and embrace all things scary, but this day is really all about the candy. A child loves the opportunity to walk door-to-door in costume and retrieve candy from those eager enough to pass it out. Adults will walk by a bowl of candy in the office, sneakily grabbing a couple every now and again. Parents may even take some select treats out of the Halloween night’s big haul!

A good bag full of treats is hard to resist. Although the various candies can taste amazing, they often come with a cost: dental problems. A new report found that 35% of Americans have experienced candy-related dental issues. Dentists encourage people to make smarter choices when it comes to which candy they choose to enjoy. Daily or frequent consumption of candy will result in negative consequences for the teeth. According to that new report, the following dental issues may be caused by candy.

Tooth Pain

If candy causes damage to your teeth, fillings, or crowns, you can experience general tooth pain. If you bite into some candy and crack your tooth, it can be extremely painful. A cracked tooth that cracks all the way to the root or nerve can be excruciating and typically requires immediate dental work. 

Chipped Or Cracked Tooth

Not all chips or cracks go all the way down to the tooth’s root. Some people easily chip their teeth on lollipops or other hard candies and don’t fix the chip for months! It is very difficult to chip a tooth and not notice! That said, you can chip part of a tooth while eating and not notice it because it may not hurt. If you don’t address the problem and don’t see a dentist soon after chipping or cracking a tooth, you run the risk of nerve exposure or infection. A cracked tooth loses the outer layer, the enamel, and a cavity can progress at a quicker rate. 

Jaw Discomfort

When you chew hard or sticky candies, you put unnecessary stress on the temporomandibular joints (TMJ). These are the two joints that connect the lower jaw to the skull. If you repeatedly chew hard or sticky candies, you may lead to TMJ pain. Plus, hyperextending for opening the jaw wide to eat larger candies can increase general jaw discomfort. 

Teeth Sensitivity

Bacteria in the mouth can metabolize into simple carbohydrates (sugar) and lower the overall pH in the mouth. An acidic environment can erode the enamel on your teeth, which makes them more sensitive to tooth decay. Even if the bacteria doesn’t metabolize into sugar, it can cause sensitivity to other areas without enamel. Your teeth “feel” via tiny tubules in the dentin layer of the mouth. These tubules have fluid in them, and that fluid can expand or contract in response to cold or hot liquids, sweets, or other food items. People with gum recession are typically more susceptible to tooth sensitivity. 

Gum Infection

Although the report didn’t mention gum infection as a dental issue caused by candy consumption, it is a possible outcome. Little pieces of candy can get trapped between the teeth in the gums or in gum pockets, where floss cannot reach and remove the candy. If candy remains wedged under the gums or between the teeth, you can experience cavities or a periodontal abscess, which is a localized gum infection. 

Damaged Fillings Or Crowns

If you eat sticky candy and you have a filling or crown, you run the risk of pulling out a piece of the filling or crown. If the candy does pull out the filling or crown, the sugar from candy can become trapped in the tooth, which can lead to tooth decay. Candy doesn’t directly harm filling or crown material in that way because decay develops differently. Candy typically infects the tooth at the margin of the filling or crown (where the tooth meets the crown or filling).

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Are your teeth looking a little longer these days? If so, you may need to change some lifestyle habits because your gums may be receding. Receding gums can increase your risk for sensitivity, cavities, and tooth loss. Although gum recession is a gradual problem, you don’t want to let it get out of hand. 

What Are Receding Gums?

Gum recession is a form of gum disease that occurs when the gum tissue pulls away from the teeth. If left untreated, the gums can recede so much so that the roots of the teeth become exposed. That can cause irritation when brushing, eating, or drinking liquids at varying temperatures. 

Gum recession is most common in people over the age of 65, but it can affect people of all ages. You are more likely to develop receding gums if you had braces or other orthodontic treatment, periodontal disease, or use chewing tobacco. Interestingly, brushing your teeth excessively or having a lip or tongue piercing also increases your risk of receding gums. About 88% of people over the age of 65 have gum recession on one or more teeth, and you can learn about more causes below. 

You Have Plaque Or Tartar Buildup

If you don’t brush and floss regularly, your gums can recede. Dentists explain that poor dental hygiene can cause plaque (a film from bacteria and food) and tartar (hardened plaque that causes tooth decay) to build up along the gum lining. Not only can plaque and tartar inflame the gums, but they can also make them more susceptible to recession. If you want to prevent plaque buildup, brush your teeth twice daily for at least two minutes at a time. Floss once a day and consider using an antibacterial mouthwash to encourage optimal oral health.

You Grind Your Teeth

Repeatedly grinding your teeth can put stress on your gums, which can cause inflammation and swelling. Over time, that inflammation can cause gums to recede. Bruxism, the technical term for teeth grinding, can happen to anyone, but it typically results from unmanaged anxiety. Most teeth grinders don’t realize that they do it because they usually grind while asleep. That’s why you may wake up with tooth sensitivity or tight jaw muscles. If you have tooth grinding symptoms, consider talking with your dentist about it. You may need to wear a mouthguard at night or practice relaxation techniques to manage stress. 

You Smoke Or Use Tobacco

Smoking causes discoloration of your teeth, but it also affects your gums, especially if you dip (use chewing tobacco). Tobacco reduces immune function, making it more difficult for your gums to fight off infection. That can lead to gum inflammation and gum recession, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Obviously, the best way to protect your mouth from this is to stop smoking or using chewing tobacco. There are many methods that can help you stop smoking, but if you do use tobacco, please continue to brush and floss regularly. Don’t forget to get regular cleanings from the dentist as well. 

Your Tongue Or Lip Piercing Is To Blame

This sounds strange, but an oral piercing can actually increase the risk of gum recession over time. The piercing can cause irritation or inflammation that causes the gums to recede. Oral piercings may also cause an injury that damages the teeth or gum tissue. Damaged gum tissue can lead to inflammation and recession. If you have an oral piercing, you have to be extra attentive with your oral care. In addition to brushing and flossing, follow oral piercing cleaning instructions to reduce the risk of infection or gum recession.

You Brush Too Hard

Brushing regularly is a must for optimal oral health, but being overzealous with your brushing can do more harm than good. Aggressive brushing can irritate gum tissue, which causes inflammation that can lead to gum recession over time. If you have sensitive gums, consider getting a soft- or medium-bristle toothbrush to be more gentle on your gums. Always brush your teeth twice per day, but remember to be gentle on your teeth. Use gentle, circular motions with and consider holding your toothbrush differently to reduce intensity. Try to hold the brush with only your thumb, index, and middle fingers. Not only does this give you less leverage, but it may also remind you to go easier on your gums.

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It’s important to visit the dentist prior to starting chemotherapy as it can tackles and kills normal immune cells. This can result in the build up of bacteria and viruses, which can cause oral infections and inflammation.

Chapters:
0:00 Intro
0:42 “Chemotherapy is only used for cancer.”
2:25 “You have to go to the dentist before you start chemo.”
3:43 “Hair cells grow really quickly, and that’s why chemo kills them and causes hair loss.”
5:21 “There’s only one chemotherapy drug.”
6:32 Outro

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Dental experts agree that your gums should be a beautiful pink. This shade of pink might vary slightly depending on your natural skin tone, but if you notice a different hue, there might be something else going on in your mouth. As it turns out, the tone or tint of your gums can inform you of other health issues, especially if the change in color accompanies other symptoms. In this article, we cover a list of gum colors and what they could mean for your oral health. 

What Color Are Healthy Gums?

Healthy gums are typically pink in color and firm to the touch. Your skin tone may determine the shade of pink. For example, white or light-skinned people tend to have lighter pink gums, while darker-skinned people can have darker pink or pinkish-brown gums. Your gums should be resilient and they shouldn’t move when you touch them or bleed when you brush or floss. Healthy gums are not inflamed or swollen in their natural state, nor are they tender to the touch. Your breath tends to feel fresh with no unpleasant tastes in your mouth. Continue reading to learn more about what your gums can tell you about your health. 

Red Gums

Dentists say that red, swollen gums commonly indicate gingivitis, which is the earliest stage of gum disease. Plaque that builds up on the teeth causes gingivitis, and the tenderness of the gums can cause them to bleed when you floss. If you notice red, swollen gums, take action as soon as possible. Gingivitis can worsen over time and lead to gum pain, tenderness, and eventually gum damage or tooth loss. 

Black Gums

Unless you decide to consume a handful of dirt, your gums should not be black. If you notice very dark red, dark purple, or black gums, you most likely have a case of periodontitis. This is a common gum infection that damages the gums and destroys the jawbone, but it is fairly preventable. In addition to the darker-colored gums, you may also notice new spaces between your teeth and a change to your bite. This occurs because teeth start to loosen. Two less common reasons for black gums are smoking or unmanaged diabetes. Tetracycline, an antibiotic, can also temporarily cause gums to take on a back hue. 

Purple Gums

If gingivitis progresses to periodontitis, the more advanced form of gum disease, gums may take on a purplish appearance. Some dental experts suggest that gums with a subtle purple hue may not always indicate gum disease. The gums must be firm and healthy, not bleeding, for the purplish hue to be acceptable. If you notice purple gums that are puffy and painful, or that pus comes from between the teeth, see your dentist to address the problem. Eating or chewing may also become uncomfortable in this situation.

White Gums

If you notice that your gums have taken on a ghostly white appearance, the problem isn’t usually cause for major concern. Gums can turn white temporarily from excess use of teeth whitening products, according to experts. The chemical bleaching ingredients in these products can also cause gum and tooth sensitivity. Less often, white spots or patches on the gums can indicate leukoplakia, a condition that results from heavy smoking or tobacco use. In some cases, white patches on the gums may indicate oral cancer, but the patch typically feels sore or irritated in this situation. 

Pale Gums

Gums that appear paler than normal may be a symptom of anemia, which occurs when the blood doesn’t make enough red blood cells. Anemia often stems from too-low iron or vitamin B12 levels, and it can cause weakness, pale skin, pale gums, dizziness, fatigue, and headaches. If you experience other symptoms of anemia, consider speaking with your healthcare professional to address the issue.

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