Summarize the following:
Use gentle, circular motions to brush the surface of your teeth at the front and the back of your mouth. Hold the brush at a 45-degree angle where your teeth meet the gums and use smooth back-and-forth motions. Then, use the tip of your brush to clean the interior side of your teeth. Turn the brush vertically and rub up and down across the front teeth. Brush every surface of each tooth 2-3 times to clean them. Brush your teeth for at least 2 minutes every time you brush. There is no adequate replacement for brushing your teeth. This is hands down the best way to remove plaque, food residue, and keep your mouth happy and clean. The toothpastes you see marketed as "natural" are typically identical to standard toothpaste except they don't have fluoride or food coloring. Neither fluoride nor food coloring are bad for your teeth to begin with, so there's no real benefit to brushing without them. Outside of any artificial colors and flavoring, there usually aren't any unnatural ingredients in toothpaste. Basically everything you find in your standard toothpastes are natural and safe. Look for toothpastes with the American Dental Association's (ADA) Seal of Acceptance. These toothpastes will always be high-quality. If you aren't using a fluoride-based toothpaste, you can still use a toothbrush to remove the plaque and food residue in your mouth. Run the toothbrush under water and brush your teeth the way you normally would. Rinse your mouth out with water after brushing. You can use a fluoride-free toothpaste if you'd like, but it's not doing anything other than making your breath fresher. This is not nearly as effective as using a fluoride-based toothpaste. It's still better than doing nothing, though! Pull out a 68in (1520cm) length of floss. Slide the floss between 2 teeth and gently pull the floss against the side of the tooth while moving the floss back and forth. Do this 4-5 times. Then, pull it gently in the other direction to clean the other side of the tooth. Do this for each gap in your teeth to remove everything stuck in between your teeth. It only takes 4-5 minutes to floss and it's a great way to keep your teeth naturally clean! Floss your teeth after brushing your teeth at the end of the day. Floss is typically made with nylon or Teflon. There are organic flosses that you can use instead if you're looking for a natural option. It shouldn't matter, though. You're only rubbing your teeth with it and you aren't ingesting anything when you floss. Removing any leftover food or residue from your teeth will help prevent stains and decay. Take a sip of water and swish it around in your mouth before spitting it out. Do this after each meal to keep food from decaying in your mouth. You can use an organic mouthwash instead of water if you want a deeper clean. A water pick helps blast stuck-on food from the surface and between the crevices of the teeth and gums. It's an excellent and healthy way to clean your teeth if you feel like there's something stuck in between your teeth. Avoid using a high-pressure water pick daily if you can. Putting a lot of pressure on your teeth can erode the enamel on your teeth over time. Measure out 1tsp (4.9mL) of cold-pressed olive, sunflower, or coconut oil. Pour the oil into your mouth and swish it around in your mouth for 10-15 minutes. Then, spit the oil out and rinse your mouth with warm water. The oil will naturally lift out any foreign minerals and bacteria in your mouth. Oil pulling is a traditional Indian practice that has been proven to help remove harmful foreign bacteria from your mouth. It is not, however, a replacement for brushing your teeth and flossing. If you only use oil pulling as your main source of oral care, your teeth will not last long. There are dozens of DIY and fruit-based alternatives to brushing floating around out there. Basically all of them are either unhelpful or actively bad for your teeth. Strawberry pastes, banana peels, and bentonite clay are the popular options, but they really aren't a good way to take care of your teeth. Stay away from salt and baking soda combinations. They may make your teeth look whiter, but it's only because you're wearing away the enamel on the surface of your teeth. This will rapidly increase tooth decay over time if you keep this up. Hydrogen peroxide is fine as an ingredient in an approved toothpaste, but it's probably bad for you to apply it on your own or use it as an ingredient in a DIY toothpaste. It's dangerous if you ingest it and it can irritate your gums in undiluted doses. Apple cider vinegar, which is used for DIY teeth whitening, can damage enamel.
Brush your teeth for 2 minutes at least twice a day. Use regular toothpaste to clean your teeth effectively. Brush your teeth with an empty toothbrush if you don't use toothpaste. Floss daily to remove food residue and plaque between your teeth. Rinse your mouth with water immediately after eating. Use a water pick to pressure wash your teeth every 2-3 days. Use oil pulling to flush bacteria out once a day. Avoid fruit pastes and DIY toothpastes to prevent damaging your teeth.