do you go to the dentist?

[gs4life]

and what do you use to clean your teeth with? i've been using baking soda, sometimes with hydrogen peroxide.

i've heard mixed things about brushing teeth after eating fruit...some say brush right away so as to remove the acid, etc. others say don't brush, just floss (and maybe swish with water) because our saliva naturally protects our teeth.

what do you do?

[Draginvry]

I haven't been to a dentist in years, and I don't plan to ever go back. The last time I went into a dentist's office was to install a mechanical arm for a display monitor. And the whole time I could smell that dentisty chemical headache-inducing mercury-laden nausea-causing smell.

I normally don't brush my teeth unless I eat something acidic. When eating non-acidic foods, I just rinse my mouth out with water.

[cavany]

I just floss and brush my teeth to remove trapped bits and try to do this every day (sometimes I forget) but I don't use toothpaste or anything else just pure water.

[Eva]

I oil pull daily (pulling right now!) and then follow up with a hot salt water rinse, floss, and brush with baking soda. I've only recently switched from commercial paste to baking soda by happy accident. It seems to be good so far, but I need to look into the efficacy a bit more before I say I'm ready to switch to that for the long haul. I drink a lot of water and do swish after acidic food.

My teeth are white and healthy, gums are also healthy. They were starting to yellow when I was drinking coffee and hadn't discovered oil pulling. They changed drastically whiter with oil pulling, but the color had stabilized prior to that from cutting out the coffee.

My mom also has tried oil pulling, although I have no idea if she still does it. She is in her 50s and had been having problems with her gums, which disappeared soon after she started. LOL! She's discovered about a bazillion funny little things like this with me over the last year and a half!

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As for the dentist, I keep meaning to go, but my teeth are so white and clean, and never hurt, my breath is fresh (so says my husband!)... sort of makes it low on the priority scale even though it would be free.

Ah -- I nearly forgot. I did go to the dentist about a year ago or so for a cleaning and because one of my "teeth" broke (it was actually one of three fake teeth from a motorcycle accident, permanent implants). My teeth felt fine enough, but I figured I should get a cleaning as long as I was there anyhow. The girl actually commented about my teeth being in much better condition and that it was obvious I had been brushing well and flossing. I don't think I told her about the oil pulling.

The time previous to that (pre-raw, and pre-daily oil pulling and flossing) they (same place) gave me a lecture about not flossing and showed me how to do it properly. I didn't have a cavity but they said I needed to brush better and floss daily to keep it from happening!

[cavany]

Hi Eva

I have heard about using wheatgrass for swishing around you mouth for the gums but oil ?

Is this what you mean when you say oil pulling ?

[Eva]

Hey cavany, yes, swishing oil around. I have been doing it for well over a year now. I blogged about it here if you're curious, but you can find all sorts of info on this board and the internet as well: http://readysethealthy.blogspot.com/2008/06/oil-pulling-how-and-why.html

LOL, sheesh every time I pull up that link I almost take down the silly photo, but it makes me laugh. So I don't.

[cavany]

Hey cavany, yes, swishing oil around. I have been doing it for well over a year now. I blogged about it here if you're curious, but you can find all sorts of info on this board and the internet as well: http://readysethealthy.blogspot.com/2008/06/oil-pulling-how-and-why.html

LOL, sheesh every time I pull up that link I almost take down the silly photo, but it makes me laugh. So I don't.

Hi Eva, Thanks for the info. on the blog, you got me curious first time I have heard about it. I also googled oil pulling and it sound good, I will try it out an see how I feel. Cool photo.

[tanishamarshall]

I have went for dental problems that I had before going raw, but I don't plan to go again now that everything is all squared away.

I did have a ton of root canals before raw, so I might have to go again to have the caps replaced, but other then that I don't plan on it.

[Raene]

I haven't been to the dentist in at least 5 years. My teeth feel and look great, so I don't see the point in going. If I ever felt like something wasn't right in my mouth, I would go...but knock on wood...no problems at the moment.
I did oil pulling for a while and have been out of the habit but my teeth remain pearly white. I brush my teeth twice a day with baking soda/peroxide mix. I would like to floss but I never think about it :rolleyes:
But my teeth feel great :)

[Emma-Liza]

I go twice year, but I have always been very persnickety about what they do and what they use. I am in process of getting a crown and before I let them give me anesthesia, I had a long discussion about what was in it. I ended up getting the kiddie stuff. Then I had to know what metals would be in my crown--no mercury. I had a lot of cavities as a child and the teeth that were filled at the youngest ages are the ones I've had most trouble with--one root canal, 3 crowns. :(

I don't know if I'm fooling myself about all this...but I know that I need my molars to chew my raw food, so I'm choosing a crown over a pulled tooth.

I will say that although I don't ever have much tartar (they always compliment my flossing, but the truth is, I hardly ever floss!), they made an extra big deal about how clean my teeth were this last time (first time back since going raw). The hygenist did very little of her own cleaning, the least ever.

[carolg]

I go to the dentist and can't live without one. I have had the very bad ones who pulled like crazy and now found one who is saving what he can. I'm a familiar voice and face each time I appear. But, regardless, I was born with bad teeth, if such a thing, and today I'm into preserving whatever I can as that is my only option. I'm content with my decision too. I wish I knew then what I know now, but now is all I have with choices. Best to all reading and thanks for sharing. Love that spirit and information.

My dentist and office love when I come with my raw foods for them too. Haven't seen any converts or those who choose to improve their sickly health problems, but I'm the light that makes them laugh each time I show cause we really do have a spirit of laughter breakout sessions at that time. No kidding.

carolg

[brydee]

I still go to the dentist twice a year, iv never had to have anything done though, just a checkup and he always comments on my teeth being 'perfect':o

I use natural vegan flouride free toothpastes and up until i slipped again i was oil pulling everyday, which helps alot. Depending on what iv eaten that day i wont always brush, but if i feel sugars or anything stuck to my teeth or coating i brush.